Call me Maggie - Remastered
by Felix Marlowe-Cain
Summary: Rule number one, stay detached, it's how you survive on Omega. It's not perfect... but it's my home. Then 'he' waltzes along like he owns the place and screws everything up, including rule number one. Garrus X Human OC - M for sex, violence, and language - This is a MAJOR renovation of one of my first fics!
1. Chapter 1

**Call me Maggie – Remastered**

A Mass Effect Fanfiction

Felix Marlowe-Cain

 **AN: So, I'm replaying Mass Effect 1,2 & 3 while I work up the funding to get myself a copy of Andromeda. I fall in love with it all over again (especially with my favourite turian!) and decide to re-read through all my old fanfictions…. I cringe… a LOT! XD My writing style has changed (and improved) so much over the years that I'm honestly embarrassed by the state of all the old stories I have stored up on this dusty account. With that in mind, I'm pulling my favourite one out of the vault and giving her a serious renovation... so serious a renovation that it's almost a totally different story! Please feel free to let me know what you think, especially if you read and enjoyed the last one. I'd love to know how the two compare. :) Thanks muchly!**

* * *

 **ONE**

The thump of Afterlife's music rumbled comfortably through my bones as I watched tantalising dancers swing themselves around poles. Lifting a scarred hand, I put a smouldering cigarette to my lips. Lungs filled with warm smoke and a small, rare smile curled against the corner of my mouth. One man's trash is another man's treasure. Omega, home of the lawless and the damned… was my kind of haven. How long had I been here now? I'd lost count of the years. This place had infected me; it was wound deep in my chest, the stench now so recognisable it felt like home… It felt like freedom.

"Miss Maggie?"

I turned just my eyes towards the turian that had interrupted my momentary bliss. Average all round among his kind, I was sure. He was pale with lavender markings. "Who told you my name?"

The question threw him. Whatever conversation he'd planned out in his head, I wasn't following the guidelines. "Er… Grizz…?"

I cast a cursory glance towards where Aria's guard kept vigil and saw him give me a slight nod. Confirmed credits…? Fresh meat then. Looking back, I eyed the turian with a little more interest. He wasn't a lifer; the lines around his eyes betrayed how Omega wore him down in a way the natives could ignore. A slight scarring of his nostrils told a sorry tale of red sand and an addictive personality. My smile widened invitingly and I gestured towards the seat next to me in offering. Easy money.

"Thanks…" he babbled nervously as he sat. "I'm not great at stuff like this. I don't usually-"

I caught his eye, the seduction in my gaze strong enough to make him stumble over his words. "Your first time, Sweetie?" I winked at him. "Don't worry. I'll take good care of you."

He missed a breath and swallowed heavily. "Er…"

With one fluid movement, I leaned over to tap my ash into the scolded tray on the table and scooted across so that I was close enough to smell. Turian's loved the scent thing. They were almost as sensitive to pheromones as the elcor…Not that they cared to admit it. I ran a teasing touch along the edge of his fringe. "What do you want me to call you?"

He was already enthralled by the narrow curve of my waist and the prominence of my hips. One, bold hand was reaching, itching to touch, but not quite confident enough. A gentle brush of my fingers was all he needed to urge him the rest of the way and he took a greedy hold on my pale skin. He paused a moment to appreciate his prize then looked up, clearing his throat. "Sidonis…" he introduced. "I work for…" Fresh distraction interrupted him, his eyes wondering over the wild locks of hair brushing over my shoulders. Fascination. A human fetish? "I've never seen colour like that…" he murmured, almost to himself, reaching to tangle strands around his talons.

I hid my amusement behind a smooth smile and tossed back some of my shocking pink and red hair. So simple… I'd owe Grizz a drink for this one. "It's dyed, Sweetie." I touched the markings on his face pointedly. "Gives me personality, don't you think?"

"Definitely," he agreed amiably. "Very striking… Certainly memorable."

I leaned close to his neck, letting him feel my breath on his skin. "Why don't we go somewhere more private? I'll show you just how memorable I can be…"

* * *

He'd been dealt a bad hand. He'd made some bad choices. He was lost here like thousands of others who had come before him. Whatever his reasons, he had no power over his life any more… so I let him ride me at a punishing pace. I succumbed, head on the pillows, arse in the air, moaning like a wonton virgin as he gave me his best possible pounding. For a minute – and it really wasn't much more than that – he could control everything. He roared as a rush of the most delicious endorphins flooded his system… And just like that, he was mine. I'd given him something he hadn't felt in years. I heard it in the gasp of his breath and the barely contained mumble of turian curses.

He flopped down on the bed next to me, reaching as if he might want to hold me… But I was already getting up and straightening my clothes. Tutting irritably, I dropped all facades of interest and seduction now that the deed was done. "You ripped my shirt, you bastard. I'm charging you extra for that."

Sidonis sighed and rolled onto his back, his raptor-like head propped up comfortably on a mountain of cushions. "Shit… credits… right."

"You bet your scaly arse 'credits'." I balanced my hands on my hips. "Cough up."

"Yeah… look…" He pushed himself to sit up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. "About that…"

I narrowed my eyes at him, already envisioning a hundred ways to break Grizz's arms. "Don't you dare tell me you're broke!"

"No!" he shook his head wildly. "No, it's just… that money, what I have…" he scratched the back of his neck nervously. "Grizz said sometimes you spilled Blood Pack secrets for a few hundred… I was supposed to buy information on Garm from you but…" he glanced my way, admiring whatever beauty he found with a sheepish look. "I guess I got distracted by what else was on offer."

Information? He'd approached me as an informant? I rolled my eyes at myself. All the things I'd managed to read from him and I'd missed the most basic?! My lips pursed into a frown. Was I losing my touch?! My eyes flinched narrow with suspicion. "What does a guy like you want with information? You're no merc, you're certainly not with any gang…"

"I am with a gang!" he insisted. "I work for Archangel."

Wow… Just… Wow. I'd figured he was a little dim in the head but to outright admit he was working for Archangel in front of someone Aria's man had pointed him too…? I rubbed at my forehead, a headache starting to threaten. Was Archangel so desperate that he'd take on losers like this guy? Do-gooders never lasted long here, but this was poor pickings even by a vigilante's standards. Poor leadership too, if this distractible idiot was the guy he'd sent out on recon.

"I'm usually a hacker," Sidonis told me, pulling on his trousers and fastening them quickly. "But I can't get into the Blood Pack networks enough to find what the boss wants, so, I asked around… y'know, carefully. I wanna be useful…"

Understanding dawned with a cold smirk spreading about my lips. "Archangel doesn't even know you're here, does he? You're buying info to make up for your poor skills, hoping that he never finds out."

"My skills are fine! I just-"

"Bashed half your brain out on Red Sand?"

"Look," he cut over sharply. "I need to know a bit about Garm's schedule. The boss wants to try and find a time when he's a little less… guarded."

Now wasn't that interesting. Archangel thought he could take on Garm? Really? I'd question the guy's sanity but so far he'd aced every target he'd set himself. The thought circled in my mind, already twisting to something... beneficial.

"Do you… Do you think we could work out some kind of deal?"

Looking up, I found Sidonis gazing at me with a nervous, childish hope flickering in his eyes. Had he been a smarter man, the unbridled glee that unravelled upon my expression would have frightened him. "I think, turian, that it's your lucky day…"


	2. Chapter 2

**TWO**

There wasn't anyone on Omega I particularly liked, but there were plenty that I hated. Garm was right on the top of that list. He was rough enough to put me out of commission for a day after and he never tipped. Last time, he'd had the nerve to suggest something particularly vulgar involving him and a couple of his vorcha cronies. That had been pretty much the last straw. Problem was, you don't say 'no' to a guy like Garm…not if you wanted to survive.

Archangel, on the flip side, had never actually done anything to me directly. Hell, I'd never even met him, but I'd heard enough to make me sick to my stomach. Guys like that had no business being on Omega. Self-righteous, arrogant… and irritatingly effective. It was bad for my clientele's business which, in turn, was bad for me… Particularly when said clientele was the likes of Garm.

So Sidonis had presented me with a unique opportunity to kill two birds and even provide a bit of a public service to Omega. I arranged an evening with Garm at an abandoned apartment we often used. I passed the time and place over to Archangel's lackey… Then I waited, bathed in shadows, cloaked in the smell of a nearby garbage shoot, my gaze fixed on door at the end of the narrow alleyway.

It was an empty kind of place, as far away from Blood Pack territory as I knew Garm would go. I'd chosen it specifically to allow Archangel maximum opportunity. If he was as good as he seemed, he wouldn't waste it.

My omni-tool buzzed silently, alerting me to a demanding message from the krogan. Where was I? How long did I plan to keep him waiting? This was eating into my pay, I knew that, right? I pursed my lips and glanced about the street. The vigilante's time was running out. Had he smelled a rat?

The moment I wondered it, a shadow fell over the small backstreet. I watched from my hideaway by the dumpsters as footsteps designed to be quiet as they could, clunked that little bit closer. Turian, if the gait could be trusted. I peered carefully around one of the ventilation shafts… And there he was. Taller and broader in shoulder than most of his kind, he cut an impressive figure against the orange glow of firelight. Blue custom armour with black edging, sniper rifle on his back and assault rifle in his talons. His face was covered with an opaque helmet. Smart man. Smarter than his scout anyway.

I watched him hack the console on the door to let himself in. I heard Garm shout his anger at the unscheduled intrusion... Then gunfire. Lots of gunfire.

With a great sense of victory, I smirked to myself. Suck on that Garm, you perverted piece of shit! I leaned back and listened to the cacophony for several long, satisfied minutes. I checked my omni-tool for the time, then, as the mark neared, I took out my knife. If Archangel was worth his salt – which I suspected he was – he'd know exactly how long it'd take for Garm's reinforcements to arrive. He'd have timed it out before coming. So, he'd finish it soon… come walking out of the apartment, head held high in triumph, but exhausted from the fight…

Marching footsteps. I looked up, eyes wide and startled. No…! No, it was too soon! But there could be no mistaking that rhythm. Sure enough, half a dozen vorcha rounded the corner a mere moment later. Shit.

Something heavy was thrown against the apartment door. It flew open as Garm scrambled up onto his feet.

He saw me. How could he not. I'd come out into the open ready to face an exhausted turian, not an enraged krogan with a half a clip left in his shotgun! "Maggie?!" I saw him put two and two together. "She's working for Archangel!" And still come to the wrong answer… "Kill her!"

I had less than a second to come up with a new plan. Vorcha closed in at my back, Garm stood in front, his gun raising towards my chest. Archangel hung just behind him. The turian _did_ look tired, or as tired as a man in full armour could. He was wounded, his shoulder hunched over, his chest plate dented. A quick glance to his gun told me he had less on his clip than Garm did. A scowl settled over my features. I'd overestimated him! But beggars, I'd learned, couldn't be choosers.

I ducked under Garm's arm as he fired a shot at me, and, grabbing hold of Archangel's wrist I dragged him back into the apartment at a zig-zagging run. Adrenaline rushed through my blood, my heart pounding in reply. I kicked open a maintenance panel I knew to be loose and all but threw my target-turned-ally into the tunnel beyond. I managed to close and lock the access behind me just as Garm charged into the wall.

Archangel was already half crawling down the tight tube.

"No!" I pulled him back by his ankle, shocking him enough that he turned his gun on me. "This way!" I opened an unseen hatch on the floor and dropped myself down into one of numerous, ever so secret walkways.

The turian followed me, immediately raising his rifle defensively in the wider, more open space.

"Oh, drop it." I knelt up on a nearby crate to close the door behind us. "I can count all the people who know about this place on _your_ hand." I raised a palm to keep him silent as I listened to Garm yank open the maintenance hatch above. He roared his displeasure at our miraculous disappearance, and barked orders to his vorcha to crawl along the narrow space looking for us. I turned a grin to Archangel. "See. Lucky I was around, huh? He'd have chased you half way across Omega for pride sake alone." I slid off the crate and hissed as I realised Garm's bullet had in fact grazed my thigh. Blood was slowly soaking my trouser leg. With the edge wearing from the adrenaline, I was forced into a slight limp as I led the way.

"Why _were_ you here?" His voice emerged from the speaker on his helmet with an artificial distortion. Very smart man…

"Just out for a walk."

"Uh-huh. And you decided to walk _towards_ the sound of gunfire armed with just a combat knife?"

"I'm good with knives."

I heard him reload his rifle and looked up to find the barrel pointing at me. "Who are you?"

I hated smart men.

"Maggie Estel," I told him shortly. "I arranged for Garm to be here alone tonight, then tipped off your guy, Sidonis… Or, actually… the other way around. I gave your guy a tip off then arranged it." I shrugged. "The plan was to let you kill Garm, then kill you as you left… when you were out of thermal clips and your back was turned. I'd collect your bounty and be able to set myself up with some business or another that meant I didn't have to fuck any more sicko's for my supper, yeah?"

He took another step towards me, his gun raising a little higher. "You admit you set me up? That you were going to kill me?!"

"Yeah, and then I saved your life…" I gestured towards the hatch I'd helped him escape through. "So all things accounted for, I'm figuring you owe me."

"What the hell kind of twisted logic is that?!"

I folded my arms over my chest. "Omega logic, baby."

"I don't play by Omega logic."

"Alright, how about this then? These back tunnels are pretty much a labyrinth…" I pressed my finger against my own head. "To which I have the only map. You wanna blow it outta my brain, fine, go ahead, but good luck getting out of here without my help."

It was sense enough that he lowered his gun a fraction. "And what's to stop you finishing me off down here?"

I gestured at him. "First off, you have the gun and I've lost the crucial element of surprise. Second…" I turned away and continued my limp. "After tonight, I'll have a bounty on my head too, so, I figure it's in my best interest to keep you alive."

* * *

"Maggie? Spirits! What the hell happened?!" Sidonis was pulling my arm over his shoulder and helping me hobble into the large apartment Archangel and his gang apparently called home.

I clenched my teeth, my nose wrinkling in pain. The long walk and loss of adrenaline had exposed a wound worse than I'd initially thought… and damn did it hurt! "Don't fuss, old woman," I all but growled at him, pulling back to make my own way to one of the nearby couches. "I just need a minute. I'll be fine."

"Don't be stupid," Archangel cut over. He gestured to a young Asari maiden already rushing towards me with a med kit. "Meleanis will fix you up… And Sid…" He reached up to take the helmet from his head. Sharp blue eyes fixed on his kinsmen with intense displeasure. "You and I are gonna have a conversation."

Blue markings. Had I ever seen blue markings on a turian before? Had I ever seen _those_ markings? There was something aesthetic about them, the way they striped over his nose…? Maybe because the shade was the exact colour of turian blood? It looked… primal… savage… With the heat of his anger burning just beneath… Shit! He was damn fine to look at!

I was rudely jolted from my admiration by a painful sting on my leg. "Ow! Watch it, tentacle head!" I'd kicked before I meant to and the poor little asari flew back several paces, her eyes wide with shock.

The click of the rifle had me looking up, once again, into the barrel of Archangel's weapon. I rolled my eyes at him and flopped my head back against the couch. His gang were gathering on the upper floor to watch. Humans, a batarian, salarian… How multi-cultural…

Sidonis stepped between us, one hand raised towards his boss in an almost pleading gesture. "She didn't mean it!" he insisted. "Human's get agitated when they're wounded, right? Like krogan?"

I lifted my head enough to arch an eyebrow at him. "You're comparing me to a krogan?!"

"She tried to kill me, Sidonis…" The enraged duel tone of Archangel's voice made my skin prickle. Now who was krogan-like?!

"What…?" I watched Sidonis deflate a fraction. "No… She wouldn't… She's just-"

"Go ahead," I dared. "Say it. 'She's just a whore'." I scoffed and shifted against the couch, making myself more comfortable. "That assumption gets a _lot_ of my enemies killed. It keeps me alive… Keeps me off the radar."

Sidonis gazed at me in comical horror, as if I'd morphed into some kind of monster right in front of his eyes.

I leaned over to address the turian standing behind him. "Not a bright one, is he?"

Archangel, however, decided to ignore the remark and get right to business. "Who do you work for?"

"I don't work for anyone."

"Bullshit. Prostitutes are always the eyes and ears of one of the four big players here. You wanted to get Garm killed… was he your boss or the enemy of your boss?"

"If I was working for someone, why would I have gone personally – and alone – to finish you off? Surely my 'boss' would have sent someone bigger? Or at least better armed?"

Archangel shook his head. "A lone prostitute wouldn't last five minutes here-"

I crossed my wounded leg over my good one and rested my elbows against the back of the couch. He still hadn't lowered his gun, but I was sure I saw his eyes dart towards my naked waist. " _No one owns me_."

"One of Aria's men pointed me to her," Sidonis murmured in defeat. "I… I couldn't get the info you wanted. He said she was the women to talk to."

Archangel narrowed his eyes. "So, you're in Aria's pocket."

I glared right back. "She and I have an 'understanding'. But I'm not on her payroll and she doesn't hassle me for protection money."

The asari, Melanis was it? She cocked her head at me, mildly puzzled. "Seems pretty generous… for Aria, I mean. What kind of 'understanding' is this exactly?"

Typical Asari. She was asking if I was in bed with her. They have this tell where they narrow their eyes in just a certain way when they're thinking about sex.

With slow, deliberate motions I took a packet of cigarettes from my pocket and retrieved one of the smokes. "Her people point me in the direction of lucrative clients and I sometimes _run errands_ for her." I placed it between my lips and, holding my hand up, I _willed_ bright orange flame to encircle my fingers… just fierce enough to make a display of lighting the end. Shaking out my fist I relaxed back, enjoying the look of shock on each and every face. "I have a couple of unique talents."

* * *

 **AN: Come find me on Fictionpress, Facebook or DeviantArt for artwork and other stories :)**


	3. Chapter 3

THREE

I didn't intend to stay at Archangel's base as long as I did. I argued to myself that my leg was still in bad shape and the flattering bounty Garm had put on my head made it the smart thing to do, but it was a weak excuse. I had hidey holes of my own; Sugar Mummies and Daddies I could hide behind, a couple of friends in low, shadowy places… But Archangel's place… I dunno, I guess it was convenient… comfortable. I didn't have to 'work' for my supper, in fact, all it took were a few carefully spilled secrets that led to Archangel taking down his first serious player, and I was pretty much 'one of them'. Kron Herga, a vicious slaver, got one of the vigilante's bullets right between his eyes… And I got a PM on a secure channel informing me that Aria would deal with Garm's bounty on me for the assist. The blue queen of Omega had no issue with slavers, of course, but she _hated_ being undercut.

I smiled to myself as I put away my omni-tool. Playing Omega's game was easy from this vantage point. The more helpful my information the more Archangel trusted me. The more he trusted me, the more I could manipulate him into doing mine and my client's dirty work. I leaned back into the couch, arms folded behind my head, the Asari girl – Melenis – between my legs. Yeah. This was the life! Sure, she was just changing my bandages, but still…

"Doesn't this hurt?" she exclaimed, her nose wrinkling at the state of the wound. "It's not healing right. It must have been a chemical round."

"It was definitely a chemical round," I mumbled. "Burns like a bitch."

Melenis looked up at me with comically round eyes. "Why the hell didn't you say so?!"

I heaved a shrug. "Wouldn't have changed anything."

"Chemical rounds need medigel! Even if you're lucky enough to escape an infection, it'll take months longer to clear up!"

I snorted. "And you and your team just happen to have stockpiles of medigel laying around, do you?" I'd spoken in sarcasm, but Melenis was already fetching a larger med kit from the shelf. She prized open the red box to reveal more medigel than I'd ever seen in one place. "Jesus frikin Christ…! How the hell…?"

Melenis smiled as she applied the soothing medicine, the painkillers numbing the worst of it immediately. "Salvage, mostly. Garrus is pretty careful to keep a stockpile though."

"Huh…?"

She glanced up from her work. "Garrus…?" A smile spread over her lips as she realised I had no idea who she was talking about. "You didn't think 'Archangel' was his real name, did you?"

I tutted and rolled my eyes. "Of course not."

"Garrus Vakarian," she informed me helpfully. "He used to be a c-sec officer back on the Citadel."

"I figured he must have had some training somewhere," I grumbled. "No one's 'just that good' with a rifle."

"Rumour says he used to run with Shepard…" the asari added.

"Tsk. Yeah right. If everyone who said they ran with Shepard actually ran with Shepard, the bitch woulda had an army to take on Saren."

"Mm, maybe…" Melenis finished working on my bandages and sat back on her heels with that tell-tale 'gossipy' expression her people adopted when they wanted to talk about something juicy. "He's pretty hot for a turian…"

I rolled my eyes again. "Oh god…"

She packed away the med kits with a laugh. "I saw you eyeing him up the other day… and Sid says you and him went for a round. You got a bit of turian kink, Maggie?"

"Wait…" I leaned forwards, arms thrown over my knees, eyes narrowing. "What did Sid say?"

She tilted her head at me. "That you guys had a tumble? Back when you first met. I think he's pretty sweet on you… Y'know, despite the fact you set him up… Or maybe because of it." She shrugged away the confusion.

I pointed a long finger at her. "You're damn right I set him up! And he _paid_ me to sleep with him. It was just business."

Melenis arched her… did asari paints count as 'eyebrows'? "He says he paid you for info, the sex he got gratis."

My eyes went so wide I thought they might pop out of my skull. "Little liar! That is s _o_ not what happened! I gave him the info gratis because it benefitted me to do so. Oh my god!" I slapped a hand to my face and fell back into the sofa cushions. "What the fuck twisted ideas has he got in that stupid head of his?"

She got to her feet, med kit in her hand, smirk on her face. Apparently, the situation was hilarious to her. It made my blood bubble.

As if on que the doors of the apartment slid open, Archangel and Sidonis himself wondering through.

"You!" I scrambled to my feet and glared at the lavender-painted turian, interrupting his conversation with his illustrious leader. Snatching up a thermal clip from the table, I hurled it at his head. "You're a piece of shit!"

Sidonis was nimbler than he looked. He ducked down, dodging the unexpected projectile. "Er… Yes, Ma'am!"

He didn't even contest it. Didn't even fight back. God, he made me sick!

"Glad to see you're feeling better, Maggie." Archangel strode over to the counter island in the kitchen and set down a number of data pads. "If you're up for picking fights with my men, maybe you'd like to lend a hand?"

"It's hardly a fight when they roll over like that." Still, I followed him over to the counter, both curious and now itching for a fight. Praise the inventor of medigel – probably a salarian – my leg didn't even sting. "Who are you going for this time?"

His people seemed to _sense_ the impending mission. Already they began to gather in the kitchen, perching on countertops or filing in around the table.

"Just a clean-up." He indicated at one of the pads on the table. "Some of Kron Herga's lackeys haven't quite got the message. They're still picking up civilians on the lower levels and selling them on to other groups. We'll do a sweep, put them out of business."

I picked up the pad for myself and skimmed over the impressive information he'd been able to gather. "Certainly sends a message." One Aria would probably approve of. If Kron's minions got cleaned out as well it would only make her that much more terrifying. Leave no survivors and all that. Besides, these scum bags were picking up labourers that were otherwise doing just fine in her eezo mines.

"There's a pick up tonight," Archangel informed us, pushing forward another pad showing a plan view of the back alleys. A brush of his omni-tool and a marker popped up for the exact street.

"It's a kill zone!" Sid came to stand beside me. "A dead-end. Look. Only one way in."

"Nah," I shook my head and leaned over to point at a dark space that ran the length of the indicated alley. "That's a hidden corridor. I can get you in. Split down into two teams, one can hit from the front the other will emerge here, though the back of this old shop."

"Alright then," Archangel gave a short nod. "You know the drill. Erash, check over all weapons, I don't want another dodgy rifle misfiring on us. Monty and Krul, you're with me. Ripper, you'll lead the secondary team through the back, Maggie will show you the way. Getting prisoners out is your top priority. Mierin, you and Vortash can do a credit run. They have stores stashed nearby, here and here. Any salvage, weapons-"

An older Asari in battered commando armour was already nodding her head and pushing onto her feet. "Nothing illegal, I know."

Archangel looked over his team a final time, then dismissed them with orders to get some rest in before the hit. He and Sid began to gather up the pads, the three of us left alone at the table. "Aside from knives and your… _special talent…_ what else can you do?" He glanced up at me.

I gave him a flirtatious wink. "I'm a pretty good lay."

"I'll vouch for that," Sid smirked.

Ok, so I probably walked into that. Still, my teeth clenched in frustration.

Archangel glared at me, unperturbed. "Combat skills, Maggie. How are you in a fight like this?"

I folded arms over my chest and shrugged. "Close combat specialist, melee weapons only though. I'm a shitty shot but I can tussle well enough to give a krogan a run for his money."

His mandibles flared in surprise. "You think so?"

I grinned, wide and toothy. "It's all about knowing where to hit."

He gazed at me for a long moment, sizing me up I think, trying to decide if I was being honest or if it was the bravado he'd come to expect from Omega. In the end, he gave a short nod, took the rest of the data pads from Sid and turned to head towards the stairs without another word.

It pained me to admit it… but the vigilante _was_ good. He had a sickening amount of respect and loyalty from his team. And he was one hell of a tactician. My eyes narrowed at his retreating back as a concerning thought crossed my mind. What if he _was_ a match for Omega?

Sid sidled up a little closer, and attempt at a charming smile pulling at his mandibles. I rolled my eyes. Then again, I was pretty sure Archangel's taste in idiot henchmen would bring him down long before he became a threat to Aria.

He cleared his throat awkwardly. "So…we got a few hours before we ship out…"

"Don't go there."

"You wanna maybe…"

I shook my head. "Fuck. You went there." My hand snatched out before he could blink. I grasped the back of his neck and slammed his head down into the island counter. Leaning close, I hissed into his ear… receptor… whatever… "Let me just clear this up for you, Sidonis. You mean just one thing to me. Credits. You can't pay? You can go fuck yourself. Literally if you like, just leave me the hell out of it!"

"Ow! Shit. Yeah, I mean… Yes, Ma'am. Sorry, Ma'am."

I let him up, lingering just long enough to see him rub at the cracked plate of his forehead, before storming towards the main doors. Men! They were enough to make a girl crave a bit of asari!


	4. Chapter 4

**WARNING: Sensitive readers may find aspects of this chapter disturbing.**

 **FOUR**

'Ripper' and 'Butler' were a pair of aging merc brothers. Human. Grey of hair and wrinkled in the face. They wore Blue Sun's armour with the iconic logo scratched out. Both were silent as I led them through the hidden passage. We lingered a moment, holding steady in the near darkness…

Ripper's omni-tool lit up. Archangel's signal came through. I opened the hatch and ushered them over the threshold. Their weapons were drawn; their knees bent in low crouch. Business hours were over, so the shop we arrived in was shut up. The men took left and centre point at the windows while I handled the console to open the shutters and doors on the right.

The street was wider than most back alleys. A small parking lot left room for a large cargo truck to pull in alongside a marked van…

My stomach turned over. Two agents in black and yellow suits and two armoured guards. _Cerberus_.

My hands clenched against my pistol. Breath became a little harder to draw. Heart thudded frantic against my ribs. Archangel's graveled voice echoed over the comm, warning to hold position.

The slavers – baterians all – got out of the cargo truck and sidled over, weapons at the ready. Hands were shaken. The cargo truck was opened. _Children_ were lined up. Nausea threatened to undo me.

"Shit…" Ripper hissed, his brow wrinkling in disgust.

The agents inspected the _merchandise._ Scanning with their omni tools. Grabbing heads and turning them this way and that. One of the younger girls started to cry. The batarian standing closest backhanded her so hard she fell -

I moved. A single shot rang out and the slaver crumpled, a smoking hole going clean through his nose. Fury was one hell of a focus.

Agents yelled to abort. Cerberus scurried back into their transport. The marked truck – better kept than anything usually found on Omega – fled.

The batarians pointed their weapons towards where I'd shot from. The leader grabbed the girl that had been hit and held her in front of himself, his pistol tight against her head. She sobbed, shaking in terror.

"Get out here now, or I'll shoot!" he ordered.

Archangel's fury hissed in my ear. "What the hell, Maggie?!"

"I'll fix it," I murmered.

"Don't-"

I stepped out from cover and moved into the street, hands over my head, pistol aimed towards the sky.

"Who the fuck are you?!" The batarian demanded.

"Someone worth a hell of a lot more than her…" I nodded towards the girl he grasped. "Especially if you have contacts with Cerberus. They like to call me 'Priority Target', y'know?"

Whether I told the truth or not didn't seem to matter to him. His chilling overabundance of eyes looked me up and down, a grin spreading over his sagging face. Either way, I was walking, talking credits. He gestured his weapon behind himself, shouting orders for the kids to be put back in the transport. Two of his goons did as they were told while three others moved forward to join their boss, their weapons taking better aim at me.

"Drop your gun and get over here… Very. Slowly."

"Let her go," I nodded at the hysterical child. "And I'm all yours, daddy."

The batarian snorted. "You think she'll survive a day on Omega on her own?" He shoved the kid forwards. "Fine."

I lowered my pistol to the floor and moved closer. As the girl approached, I dropped my hands just a little… slowly… carefully… towards the knife in my pocket. The other children were almost loaded into the transport. One of the slavers was getting into the front of the vehicle –

A shot and a scream. My heart leapt in alarm as the lead batarian's head exploded. The girl yelled as a shower of his blood rained over her head. Snatching her arm, I dragged her against me and pulled her down, covering her body with my own.

Ripper and Butler opened fire, their assault rifles echoing, bullet's ricocheting. Krul charged with a roar and took them on from behind. Monty jogged to keep up with him.

The transport's engine fired up. The vehicle began to lift! I glared at it, teeth clenched, growling in rage. Raising my hand, I mustered all the red-hot biotics I could and 'pulled' the engine.

The truck swerved as a heavy explosion went off under the batteries. My eyes flew wide. The girl screamed. The truck went over and crashed into one of the side buildings. A barrier! I tried to keep one up, to hold back the inferno that threatened to ignite the fuel. I could hear the prisoners inside yelling… crying… Oh gods!

Mierin, the old asari commando, dashed out from the warehouse opposite. She rushed across the field and reinforced my feeble attempts with a powerful biotic field of her own.

Eresh and Vortash were stuck too far behind her to help the kids. Batarian slavers crawled out of the woodwork, alerted by the commotion in their alley of business.

Fuck!

Ripper and Butler managed to advance ahead of me and the girl. I pulled her up under their covering fire and, snatching at my gun, I threw her into the shop we'd emerged from. "Stay down!" I left her there, rushing towards the burning truck and using the butt of my weapon to smash open the lock.

They poured out, clutching their faces, choking against the smoke. "Into that shop!" I commanded. "Go! Go!"

Two were stuck in the back. An older boy trapped under some fallen cargo – unconscious – and a girl refusing to leave him. She heaved his arms. Shoved at the boxes. But she was so small…

"Leave him!" I half clambered into the truck to try and get at her. "Get out! Get out now!" I could feel the flames. They licked close to my skin and blocked the path between me and the children.

Mierin's arm looped about my waist and dragged me back.

"No!" But my stunned shift in focus was all the weakness my barrier needed. The flames caught the fuel tanks. The asari and I were thrown so far we slammed into the opposite wall. I felt the jolt in my spine. My neck snapped back with the force. My head hit something all too solid -

* * *

Consciousness came with the mother of all headaches. It sure as hell wasn't helped by the bickering just on the edge of hearing. The more awake I got, the louder and more venomous the argument.

"She didn't mean anything by it-"

"She fucked up, Sid!" I recognised Mierin's voice angered over the rest. "Two kids are dead and five more are in Mordin's clinic because she got trigger happy."

Fuck. I tangled a hand into my hair as the image of the children, cowering at the back of the truck, haunted me. Eyes squeezed shut. Nose wrinkled as I fought a wave of horror, wrestling it into the rage I was more comfortable with.

"What was Cerberus even doing there?" Melenis asked, trying to draw the conversation to something more constructive.

"The same thing that everyone does here," Krul's rough tones insisted. "Something illegal and seriously screwed up. They're infamous for that, right?"

I'd heaved myself onto tired feet and, ignoring the bruised protest of my body, I made my way down the stairs to where they'd congregated in the main room.

"Where else is Cerberus gonna get biotic potential lab rats from?" I growled. "If not in the bowels of a mob-run eezo mine?" I leaned heavily against the banister and glared them down. My arrival was met with a mix of fury and disappointment. My stomach squirmed in a way I was entirely uncomfortable with. Fuck them. I didn't ask for their approval!

Melenis got up to greet me, though she wouldn't meet my eye. "Maggie, you should be resting."

"Screw that. I have better things to be doing."

"Like getting more kids killed?" Krul challenged.

I pointed a furious finger at him. "You wanna know why those kids died?!" I turned my accusing gesture on their great paragon, who had been sitting silent in the midst of their argument. " _He_ triggered it! I had their full attention. I was in the best spot to take out their leader and, if I'd been allowed to do that, I'd also have been able to disable their vehicle with a flame-warp _before_ the engines started and made it volatile. But no!" I glared at the turian in blue armour. " _Archangel_ just had to take the shot!" I shook my head at him, brow furrowing. "I _told_ you I'm a melee specialist. I kinda have to get in close for that to work!"

But Archangel was shaking his handsome head, rising to his full height and glaring down at me with shocking blue eyes. "You're the one with the itchy trigger finger," he blamed. "If you'd stuck to the plan none of this would have happened."

"Yes, I fucked up!" I admitted. "I lost my temper. But I had it under control! I told you I could give a krogan a run for his money-"

"Every drunk in Omega makes that claim!"

I grit my teeth, hissing words through pointed canines. "I am _not_ like the rest of Omega's trash. Haven't I proven that already? If you don't believe me, put it to the test! I'll show you just how much you fucked up!"

Turian heads knock back a fraction when they're taken by surprise. Then their eyes narrow as they consider it, as they size up whether or not it's truly a threat. Archangel did both. He regarded me for a long, silent moment. His team looked on, holding their breaths, none daring to speak.

He took a step back and gestured to a door under the stairs. "The basement is big enough for a match."

* * *

 **AN: Thanks for all the love! ^_^ Come find me on Facebook & DeviantArt for the rest of my work.**


	5. Chapter 5

**FIVE**

In a thinly veiled attempt to regain a sense of command, Archangel strode leisurely to the basement and jerked his head for me to go in first. I arched an eyebrow at him as he locked the door behind us.

"I'm not in the mood for spectators," was his only explanation.

If I weren't so pissed at him, I might have made some jibe about wanting to get me alone. Instead, I watched through a volcanic glare as he discarded his helmet and guns in the weapons locker like he had all the time in the world. If looks could kill…

He led the way down the short steps into the larger space, his back turned to me. "Look, Maggie… What happened was one hell of a screw up, but hitting each other isn't going to change what's hap-"

I grabbed the back of his cowl and, with surprise on my side, I swung him into the nearest wall with a satisfying thud. My leg came up, bracing against the weak point in the small of his back, pinning him in place. "No," I growled into his ear. "But it'll make me feel better!"

His breath hitched. Gloved talons curled against the rusted sheet metal.

I pressed my knee deeper into his back; into the tender, un-plated flesh all too close to the sensitive flank of his narrow waist. "Oh, I'm sorry, have you not scrapped properly before? Didn't expect me to fight quite this dirty?" I grinned, sure that he'd feel the expression on his neck. "Well, fair warning to you Mr Ex C-sec; this bitch _bites_."

Key words. Key tones. Just the right pitch and it was easy to get right under turian skin… plates… whatever. Idiots like Sid would just roll over and beg for a bone, but I suspected Archangel was the other kind.

He didn't disappoint.

One of his large legs lashed out with startling accuracy. He knocked my foot out from under me. I had to release him or lose my balance. I tried to duck back, predicting the follow up strike… But damn the guy had one hell of a reach! His armoured fist collided with the side of my face. Pain blossomed over my cheek and along my jaw. Crimson stained my teeth. I spat the pooling blood to the floor and grinned. He wasn't pulling his punches any! Good. Turians so often got the wrong idea about our 'fleshy' exteriors… But he'd tussled with my kind before, it seemed.

I blocked a second attack with a cross of my wrists. His eyes flashed wide when I leaned back and dodged the third. Turian bodies didn't move like mine could, they lacked flexibility. Taking advantage of his shock, I landed a hard kick to his stomach, successfully knocking the air out of him.

I charged while he was distracted, but he had enough sense to keep up his guard. Long talons took grip on my arms and, using my own momentum against me, threw me against one of the shuttered doors. He tried to slam his knee into my gut, but I wrapped my arms around his neck and, hoisting myself up, I bashed my forehead against his nose. Something cracked on impact.

A foul curse word rebounded off my translator. He stumbled back, blue blood pouring from his duel nostrils.

"You march onto Omega like you fucking own it…" Storming towards him, I threw another punch and landed a hit to his face. "This place is _mine_. I know it in a way you never could." He rolled away from my following right hook. "I know it's every _rhythm_."

"You don't know my men," he retorted. "You'd written us off before you'd even met us!"

"You're a bunch of amateurs! As proven by this shamble of a mission!"

He grabbed my attacking fist and pulled me in while landing a hefty hit to my chest. "What does that make you?"

I hissed, spitting blood from between my teeth as I felt several ribs break.

"You're just a double-dealing whore. You think I don't know you play me for Aria? How the hell am I supposed to trust anything that you say?" He had the decency to step back, to give me a moment as I remained doubled over. Arsehole! I didn't want his concessions!

"How the fuck do you know about that?!"

Archangel cracked a spiteful smirk. "Hacked your omni-tool. Well… if you can call it 'hacking'. For the record, 'password' is a shitty password."

That wasn't my password. And he knew it. The falsehood got into my veins and made me burn, as I was sure he expected. With a roar I rushed at him like an enraged krogan. Flame lit up my skin. His head jerked back in that 'challenged' way, but he thought fast enough to dive out of my path. He was left prone on the floor. I skidded around and threw my weight against him with the full force of a heated biotic slam. He cried out in pain.

Thighs clenched about his waist. Hands wrapped around a thick neck. I bore teeth with a savage snarl. "You… fucking… hero! I hate your kind! Always digging your nose in. Always riling me up like you own me. Fuck off and take your god damn morals with you before Omega fucks you up!"

Sharp blue eyes saw something I didn't want him to. The shock of it had my strength falter and, of course, he took the opportunity. I was thrown over, the tables turned as he pressed his arm across my collar, holding me down. My heart gave a treacherous flutter as his cold, armoured body pressed tight against mine. Shit.

"Like it did to you?" His tone had lowered from rage to smug realisation.

"Go to hell!"

"You only lost your cool when the slavers got rough with the kids. You a good person, Maggie?"

I struggled against his weight, but in that, he had the upper hand. I could unleash a nova blast, knock him back… and maybe break his spine as he hit the ceiling. "Get off me before I kill you."

He assessed the threat for a moment, his eyes narrowing in that tell-tale way… And then he got up. Smart man.

He offered me his hand, but I ignored it and pulled myself up. I dusted off my clothes to avoid looking him in the eye. "I can't stand the scum that beat on kids," I confessed reluctantly. "A kid trusts the world unconditionally, yeah? To betray that… to take advantage…" My lip sneered in disgust. "Omega can do what it likes to me. I know what I am and what I've done to deserve it… But I will fuck up anyone that lays a hand on a kid." I shook my head, glaring venomously at the floor. "There's nothing none of them coulda done to deserve it." With the words, the fight began to drain out of me. I thought of the children lined up like varren at a market with Cerberus walking up and down the line. The batarian that had struck the girl… I didn't regret killing him…but for the first time in my life, I wished I knew how to be a team player.

I was so lost to the ghosts that Archangel managed to startle me. He reached out, talon brushing back some of my fiery pink hair, his thumb wiping a trail of blood from my mouth. "You're a good woman…" It wasn't an accusation anymore. Just an affirmation, more for himself than for me. "You don't want anyone to know that…but you are."

I snorted. "Don't make a saint out of a sinner. Everyone's got their weak spot, even you I reckon." I narrowed eyes at him. "Haven't figured out what yet. I thought it'd be your morals but…You handle yourself better than the other do-gooders we usually get 'round here."

His mandibles flared in a small smile. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"You should. I don't give 'em often."

He looked away, his eyes clouding over in shame. "Yeah. Thanks. I'll er… I'll remember not to underestimate you next time."

"Huh?"

He gestured at me. "You certainly proved you can handle yourself in close combat. So… You're right. If I'd trusted you a little more and saved that shot…" He trailed off with a shrug. "I'll own it."

Now I was the one catching a glimmer _he_ didn't want to show… and what I saw left me all kinds of confused. For just one, fleeting second, I saw the burden add to his shoulders. One of a growing number baring down. One more fuck up in a long chain he'd wrapped around his neck like a noose…

Aw, shit! I heaved a great sigh, letting the air out of my nose as a rush of unwelcome realisation hit me. Omega was the place that tore people apart by their hopes. But for a man without hope? For someone with a complete and utter death wish…? Even Omega couldn't defeat someone already so broken… I could attest to that personally.

I glared at the back of his head with a sinking feeling in my stomach. Whatever Archangel was doing here, it wasn't anything as pure as justice. This was vengeance. Pure and simple. It was rage and anger and frustration in a shiny turian package. For the briefest, most unnerving of moments… it made me feel a little less lonely. Fuck him!

"Vakarian."

He looked back, startled at the use of his actual name.

"You didn't kill them," I insisted. "The slavers did. Omega did."

The smile was weak, but it was genuine. "Thanks, Maggie." He glanced at me as he retrieved his equipment from the locker. "You fight pretty damn well for Omega trash. Who trained you?"

But I waved a finger in his face as I passed for the door. "Nu-uh. Don't go there, Angel. Ain't none of your business. And keep the hell outta my omni-tool you short-fringed bastard!"


	6. Chapter 6

**SIX**

What the fuck had come over me? First my little sparring match with Archangel turned into regular training sessions – to blow off steam, he insisted – and now I was tagging along to almost every silly little suicide mission he and his crew went on. Hell, I was upgraded from 'one of them' to a 'valued member'. Some of the others – in addition to Melenis and Sid – were going out of their way to be _nice_ to me! It wasn't right. It made things squirm in my belly. Sometimes I had to pick on Sid and hurl some insults about just to keep the equilibrium in my head. Fuck this. Fuck all of them! I wasn't looking for a family!

Some snide voice in the back of my skull kept warning me this was going to go tits up, kept insisting I should cut loose now. It was wisdom talking, I knew… But every time I tried to stay away, I'd only last a day or two before I came wondering back with a crate of beer under my arm and useful info loaded into my omni-tool.

It was all Archangel's fault. Something about him provoked me without even trying; made me think of things I didn't want to think about. Just looking at him was enough to put heat down south and colour on my cheeks. Could he maybe go get some bad facial scarring or something? Anything to make him marginally less attractive?

It was this frustration that helped me find a new appreciation for my day job. The clientele seemed to appreciate it too. Especially Grizz.

He was one of my favourites. Turian. Particularly gravelly voice. Talons he _never_ filed. And always in Aria's pocket, so full of useful titbits.

I had him right where I wanted him. Pinned on his back against some overly-fluffy pillows, thighs being chaffed raw as I gripped his waist between my legs and rode him for all he was worth. He snarled like an animal, his hold on my hips tight enough to draw a trickle of blood. I didn't care. Everything from the waist down rippled with a storm of pleasure. He hit all the right spots; inside and out.

"Fuck!" He lunged up and nipped at my collar bones, his fangs grazing sensitive flesh.

I seized the back of his head and dug my nails into the plating under his fringe.

He arched, finding his abrupt finish with a deep, primal hiss.

"That's it…" I sighed, rolling my hips and riding out the aftershocks. "Good boy…"

Grizz flopped back against his pillows, exhausted for the moment.

I 'dismounted' and sauntered into his small bathroom with a satisfied sway in my hips. My reflection showed hair attractively tousled. Eyeliner was smudged, but a smug grin lingered on my lips. Leaning down, I drank in a little water from the tap, swilled it against my tongue and teeth then spat. The numbing tingle that came after turian blowjobs was soothed. I discarded what little I was still wearing and started up the shower. We'd played this game often enough that he wouldn't mind.

Grizz joined me a few minutes later. He crossed the bathroom on a swift stride and pushed me up against the cold tiles with all the grace of a keen predator. "I'm not done," he growled into my ear.

My skin prickled. That smug smile widened.

He leaned low, the heat of his plated front pressing against my back. Shoving my thighs apart just enough, he thrust his way into me. I threw my head back, a loud moan rolling along my throat.

Yeah. Grizz was definitely one of my favourites.

He took a grip on my hair, his arm going down my back as he pushed my head and chest tighter against the wall. His other talons were wrapped around my hips, dragging them back towards him with each deliciously brutal thrust.

"There's a seriously weird bunch of humans sniffing around Omega at the moment…" he growled.

I tutted irritably. "Can't you just tell me my tits look good? Or that you want to do it in the arse?"

He silenced me with a sharp strike on said arse. "Aria thinks they'd be better off taking their business elsewhere. She'd like them to be educated on the danger of setting up shop on Omega."

I twisted my head to cast a frown back at him, then grit my teeth when he made a particularly rough intrusion. "They're making her nervous?"

He leaned over me and nipped at my ear. "They're pro-human extremists," he revealed with a pant. "And in an asari mob-boss's territory? That makes everyone nervous. 'Bad for business' would be an understatement."

"No arguments there. You done yet?"

Grizz straightened up and gave me a thorough pounding. A shrill scream was wrenched from me and that, it seemed, was enough to finish him off.

I felt the slippery wetness between my legs and rolled my eyes. I was about to make a comment about charging extra for the lack of condom when he turned me abruptly, silencing me as my back hit the tiles and his fingers dove to my centre. I hitched a gasp and stilled as razor sharp talons brushed against the most sensitive of flesh.

He leaned _very_ close. "They have a ship docked in bay five. Aria gave me a code to override security. She thought you might wanna give it to your new… _friend_." He slipped his fingers down and pressed them into me, tantalisingly slow.

I closed my eyes, heart pounding against my chest as the delicious song of adrenaline sang in my ears.

"Y'know…A guy as noble as him will never do you like this…"

My eyes snapped open, meeting his with fierce intensity. "I didn't realise it was a contest."

His leisurely pace became a sudden flurry of motion. He thrust into me a few times, brushed his thumb over my clit and…I grabbed his cowl, hissing between my teeth as I unravelled.

He withdrew, the cold of bathroom air hitting my chest were rough plating had been. "Just don't forget who your real friends are, Maggie."

I smirked at him from under the spray of the water. "What? I can't have both?"

He scoffed and shook his head. "Greedy bitch." Taking up a towel from his rail, he added, "Maybe for now. Won't last though. Just make sure you're on the right side when Archangel falls."

"Is that you or Aria speaking?"

"Me." His mandibles spread with an unnerving smile. "Not many human whores will take a turian cock up their arse. I'd hate to miss out on that." He traipsed out of the bathroom, dripping water as he went. "I'll send you the override code. You want any more info you'll have to go fish for yourself. They hang out in Afterlife most evenings."

"Where else are they gonna go?" I called after him.

* * *

Grizz was one of the very few clients I might have considered bunkering down with for a night or two, but all this talk of extremists put me on edge. I left him to doze and made my way to Afterlife; the club that never seemed to close.

Sure enough, the place was still thumping out a tribal drumbeat. A little on the empty side… but that only made the targets stand out better.

Fuck.

A rush of recognition and a drop of terror plummeted in my stomach. They were all of them human men, distinctive with their white suits and silver pendants. _Crucifixes_. My eyes narrowed at a new feature… the Cerberus logo stitched onto their arms like a badge of honour. Great. They had new funding. Fan-frikin-tastic. No wonder the yellow and black arseholes had been sniffing around the lower levels lately.

I ordered a drink and took to one of the darkest booths to watch them. Obscuring myself from view was easy enough with the help of an asari dancer. She smiled pleasantly as she swayed. She'd already sensed my true motives and kept her moves low to the table for me.

No matter how I strained my ears to listen, though, the music protected their privacy.

"They give me the creeps," the dancer murmured, soft as she could. "We're used to arseholes in here, but them…? They're crazy."

I glanced up into the sharp grey eyes of my entertainment. Her smile was all promises.

With a tut, I used my omni tool to give her a generous tip. "Cultists?"

She turned against the table, her legs extending up into the air while her head came tantalisingly close to my lap. "And then some. Sounds like their leader has dragged them clear across the galaxy on some kind of 'holy calling'." She ran her hands down from the inside of her knees as her thighs parted obscenely. "They're looking for something… Or _someone_."

"They found it yet?"

"No." Her legs snapped shut and with another graceful roll she was back, sitting up in front of me. I watched her blue hands caress her own breasts and slide towards her hips. "They don't even have any leads, though, they seem pretty convinced it's here on Omega. It's pissing them off. Making them reckless…and dangerous. Toes are getting stepped on." Her hands followed the same path up to stretch out behind her head. "Course, anything that powerful, I'm sure Aria has it on her radar already…"

The deeper meaning of her words - the sudden and belated realisation that hit me - made my blood seethe in fury. Asari were such manipulative bitches.

"A clever woman like Aria knows to steer clear." I reached casually for the cigarettes in my pockets and lit up as only I could. "It'd be like playing with fire, don't you think?"

The asari grinned and leaned forward in offering. "If I were Aria, I think that would depend on how much trouble it caused me."

Our eyes met meaningfully. Intensity sparked. I let out a long, smoky breath. "I hear you."


	7. Chapter 7

**SEVEN**

"I have a job for you." I marched into Archangel's private quarters without so much as a knock on the door.

He'd been sat at his desk, going over weapon mods. "If this is from Aria, you can forget it."

"Consider it a personal favour." I dropped a datapad with the code Grizz had given me alongside details on the extremists we were dealing with.

Angel frowned as he picked up the pad, his blue eyes darting over the intel. "This is pretty specific." He glanced up at me. "Where'd you get it?"

I shrugged and flopped down on his bed, one long leg crossing over the other. "I have my sources. Look. These guys are bad news. Cerberus is backing them, and I'll bet good credits this is the reason their agents have been snatching kids off the lower levels." I folded arms over my chest. "Their leader is a lunatic, believes himself to be some kind of prophet of God. He's anything but."

Archangel got to his feet, still inspecting the data. "'Illegal genetic experiments on live subjects, aimed at perfecting the human condition.' Definitely sounds like something that would interest Cerberus. And this leader of theirs? 'Father Daniels'?" Blue turian eyes narrowed in anger. "His name crossed C-Sec a few times. Always knew he was involved in something big. He had just enough friends up top to keep him out of our hands."

"You'll do it?" I asked, trying to smother the little blossom of hope that threatened.

Archangel gave a short nod. "Yeah. I'll send someone to scout the docs, maybe get Sid to look through their systems." His mandibles flared. "We'll take these bastards out once and for all."

I'd expected more questions, or, at the very least some suspicion. "Alright then." I got back to my feet and made a show of cracking my knuckles. "You let me know when you're ready to ship out. I want in."

 _That_ got me a narrowed gaze. "Sure."

With a roll of my eyes, I turned and took my leave.

Sid was just outside. I caught him scrambling to his feet and leaning against the nearby bookcase with forced calm, pretending as though he hadn't just been listening at the door.

"Just a tip…" I walked past him, "Subterfuge? Not your thing."

"Sorry…" At least he had enough brain to know when he was caught. He followed me down the corridor to the dormitory. "You looked like you wanted to put a bullet in someone's head when you came in just now—"

"—And what? You thought I had a beef with your boss?"

"No! Well, maybe."

Melenis, Krul, Butler and Monty were playing cards. A pile of credits and gun mods were heaped in the centre of a ring of drinks. The asari looked up with a bright-eyed smile and a tell-tale blush purpling her cheeks. "Hey guys, wanna join?"

I paused my marching and folded arms over my chest with a smirk. "Hell no. Monty cheats."

"What? No, I don't!"

I reached down and, snatching the smaller human's wrist, I yanked an ace from behind the sleeve of his jacket.

His friends moaned and rolled their eyes. "God damn it, Monty!" Butler threw his cards down first.

"You should tax him a bottle of that whiskey he keeps stashed under his bunk…" Sid joked.

Monty's eyes bulged in annoyance. "Jeez, shut up, man!"

Krul was already on his feet. "Whiskey? Where?" He stormed towards the bunks and began to turn Monty's over.

"No, don't! It's a special import. You can't have it!" The poor human rushed after him, yanking on the Krogan's arm fruitlessly. "It was a gift! Come on, Krul. It won't do anything for you anyways. You said human alcohol was piss, remember?!"

With a short laugh, I flopped down in the vacated seat next to Melenis.

Sid took Krul's space next to me, his expression all smug enjoyment as he watched the drama unfold.

"Hey, guys!" The krogan shouted boisterously. "He's got Fornax under here! _Turian_ _special edition."_

Monty was jumping up and down, trying to snatch back the magazine. "Give it, arsehole!"

"Looks like Maggie's not the only one with a kink," Melenis's elbow jabbed into my ribs.

"I do _not_ have a turian kink."

The asari giggled, her nose wrinkling with a genuine smile. "Course not."

"You have a turian kink?" Sid's interest was piqued.

"No!"

Krul returned to the table, raising the pilfered whisky with a triumphant roar. I watched – and couldn't stop from smiling – as the friends bargained and bartered over it. What could Monty offer to make amends instead of his precious whiskey? What could they take that would teach him a lesson? They had him backed into a corner – much to the young thief's irritation.

"What's his story, anyway?" I asked Sid, nodding towards Monty as he made his plea. "Seems a little young to be playing with big boys like Archangel."

"So do you," Sid pointed out.

"Fuck off."

He raised his hands – talons – defensively. "I meant that as a compliment!"

I glared at him, and he shrugged. "Not sure on the specifics exactly, but apparently he got roped into a job that wasn't what he was expecting. It ended badly for some people. The guilt was driving him crazy, so he tipped off Archangel and gave a hand getting Omega-style justice for the victim's families. I hear there's now a price on his head, so he sticks around for safety sake."

"Ouch."

"Yeah…" he glanced sideways at me.

I rolled my eyes, already knowing what was coming. "Don't," I warned.

"Look, I know I screwed up. I shouldn't have presumed-"

"- you want me to bash your head into this table too?" My momentary good mood was sinking like a Titanic full of angry varren.

"Come on, Maggie. Cut me some slack. Cut _you_ some slack! You won't have to do that kind of thing anymore. I can take care of you."

The table rattled as Sid's heard was slammed against it. Once. Twice. Thrice. "It through your skull yet?" I growled. All eyes turned to me. Wide. Startled. Butler was on his feet as though ready to come to Sid's aid. "I'm not your damsel in distress. I don't need to be 'taken care of' and if I did… I sure as hell wouldn't come running to you."

I released him, throwing so hard he topped from his chair.

"Maggie...!" Melenis looked horrified.

I got to my feet, kicking the moaning turian's shins as I stepped over him. "I warned him." I stormed for the door and came face to face with Archangel as he emerged down the hall, a question in his sharp eyes. "I didn't do it!"

But Krul was laughing boisterously from the room behind me, "That's what you get trying to mate a woman with twice your quads! Take a shotgun next time, moron. Even Archangel can't put that one down."

Garrus arched an eyebrow plate thing at me. "Uh-huh."

Defeated embarrassment crept up over my cheeks. I stormed past him and down the stairs, hoping my face wasn't as red as pink as my hair yet. "Fuck you."

It took longer to calm down from that one. Anger bubbled, and no amount of alcohol or asari dancers seemed able to quell it. I wasn't a princess. Fuck knows where Sid got the notion. I spent a good portion of my evening trying to convince myself I hated the bastard only to get even angrier when I found I couldn't. It wasn't his fault he was a complete idiot. Since when was I the sympathetic type?! This was all Archangel's fault! I tried to hate him too, but I knew that was a battle I couldn't win even before I started. So, I settled for brooding in a back alley with a bottle of Aria's finest lifted from a bartender that owed me a favour.

I wished I could hate all their do-gooder butts but… fuck it. Even I had to admit I was almost impressed. Even with liabilities like Sid, they managed to make it work. If someone lacked somewhere, someone else in the group took up the slack and so on and so on. Most gangs in Omega were too self-serving to achieve that kind of unity. And – the constant need to bash Sid into tables aside – I felt oddly at ease there. The concept of 'friends' was still new to me, but I supposed this was more or less what it was like. Even now, I was sure if I went back, no one would say anything about it. Water under the bridge and all that. Crazy arseholes. Despite that assurance, though, I almost didn't. That squirming unease in my belly – the one insisting this was going to go spectacularly tits up – made a grand argument for calling it quits before things got out of hand. It might have won the debate if Archangel's message hadn't come in on my omni-tool, the preview telling me he was ready to hit Father Daniels where it hurt. If I wanted in, it was time to come home.

Home? When the fuck had it turned into 'home'? I didn't have one of those. I had bolt holes and beds borrowed with sex. The word glared at me in bright orange, taunting me with an offer of belonging. I shook my head and, jumping down from my perch atop a pile of junk, I discarded my empty bottle and staggered along the corridor. There had better be time to sleep this off before the hit.

 **AN: All the alien terminology breaks my grammar and spelling robot XD**


	8. Chapter 8

**EIGHT**

This was too easy. I bristled with a tremor of doubt. No guards. No security above what the code from Grizz disabled. "Something's wrong," I told Archangel. "These guys are not this stupid."

"I hear you," he agreed. "Keep your guard up."

Sid followed a map on his omni-tool and led the way down to the cargo holds. Just three objectives, I kept reassuring myself. A quick bust. Free the prisoners, collect the medical equipment for Mordin's clinic and - my personal favourite - hack into the ship's main computer to find out what the hell these whack jobs were doing on Omega.

Down and down again we went, deep into the belly of the ship. It was bigger than I'd expected. Not just some shitty transport but a fully-fledged frigate decked up like some kind of floating temple. My unease mounted with every crucifix we passed, of which there were all too many. It was meant to be a symbol of hope, but these arseholes had twisted it into something that filled me with dread and distrust.

"You okay, Maggie?" Monty had noticed the rapid pace of my breathing.

"I'm fine."

His frown told me he didn't believe me for a second. He checked the safety on his gun and looked ahead. "If I didn't know better, I'd think this was kinda personal."

"Don't go there," I growled.

The roguish imp tossed me a flashy smile. "Why? There ain't any tables here to bash my head into."

"This is it," Sid interrupted, stepping back from a large locked door.

Monty stepped forward and began to run his hacking programs while the three of us watched his back. Archangel radioed down to the other teams for an update. So far so unnervingly good – same as us.

"I'm in." Sid stepped back as the door slid open. Monty and Archangel went in first, gun's raised ready for a fight, only to lower them a second later. Still no guards. Still no resistance.

I frowned as I followed in behind them. It was a large square room stacked up with crates. Two upper walkways flanked on either side. A handful of prisoners – mostly women and small girls – were held in cells below. Archangel made a beeline for them and set to work on a nearby access pad to hack past the barrier fields. Monty and Sid checked over the cargo. I made my way to a room at the back.

As suspected, it was small space with a few work consoles set on tables, probably meant for taking inventories. I sat at one of the desks and fired up the machine. Admittedly, I didn't have the finesse of Archangel or even Sid for that matter, but some old access codes I'd picked up from my last run in with this lot gave me the edge I needed. In hindsight, I probably should have questioned it. Why wouldn't they change the security codes? Why wouldn't they encrypt their files? Why was everything I needed sitting right there in plain sight on a console meant for stock-taking? But I wanted out so bad I wasn't thinking straight.

"Everyone's free," Archangel told me over the comm. "The other teams are clear. Grab what you can and let's get out of here."

"Any sign of the good father?" I asked bitterly.

"Negative. Don't worry, Maggie, we'll catch up to him."

I believed him. There was a low, frightful resonance under his tone that a human unfamiliar with turians might not have picked up on. It ran down my arms making my skin prickle, and my lips curl into a vicious smile.

My omni-tool blipped to inform me the downloads were done. I was about to close the link when another set of files caught my eye. "Just give me a minute to finish up here," I told him, transferring those over too.

"You need a hand?" Archangel asked.

The files needed a password, but an old one let me in. "No, I'm good."

"Alright, we're going to start getting these prisoners out of here."

Thirty percent complete. Thirty-five… "You do that." Forty. Forty-five. I nibbled my lower lip, my leg twitching nervously. Fifty Fifty-five.

Alarms blared. The siren rang obnoxiously in my ears. My heart lurched into my throat as several error messages filled the screen of my console like a virus. "Shit!" Lights flickered off, the red emergencies coming on instead. I heard marching footfalls thundering in the cargo bay. Leaping from my seat, I rushed for the door… It slammed shut in front of my nose. The panel turned a painful orange, signalling that it wasn't just locked… but jammed.

It had been a long time since I'd felt this kind of fear. All the heat drained from my body as a cold chill took residence over my flesh. With a terrified cry, I slammed my fists into the metal. I could hear gunfire beyond. Shouting. Screaming. Panic knifed my gut.

The emergency lighting went out, plunging me into darkness for all of a second before a holographic VI initiated in the room behind me. I spun to face it… and found eyes that haunted my every nightmare.

"'…To the woman He said, "I will greatly multiply Your pain in childbirth. In pain, you will bring forth children, Yet your desire will be for your husband, and he will _rule over you_ …'"

His voice made my skin crawl. The man seemed to be in his early fifties. Grey hair was slicked back behind prominent ears. He wore the white robes of a priest with a long silver chain bearing an ornate crucifix… But the darkness of his eyes blazed like hellfire. I was utterly paralysed. A cold smile took his face. "Welcome home, Eve."

I backed up against the door, wide-eyed, sickened, and as furious with myself as I was frightened. "It was a trap. You were waiting for me."

His smile filled with perverse lust masquerading as an attempt at affection. "We knew you wouldn't be able to stay away. God calls to you, my child. The Lord has a grand purpose-"

"Go to hell!" I screamed. "You're sick. Just a bunch of sadists and paedophiles hiding behind religion to justify your demons!"

The priest was unimpressed. I saw the dangerous flash of anger through cross through his eyes. "Heretics have turned you against us," he insisted. "I knew they would. Through us - his holy instruments - the Lord God shall smite them down. But you, my daughter… You shall be washed clean of your sins." The madness of him horrified me.

"Archangel!" I turned and beat my fists against the door. My voice echoed hysterically, but I couldn't find it in me to care. "Garrus! Help me, please!"

"'…let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth…' Those creatures are unworthy of you, Eve. You sully yourself with their presence."

A spark of fury found its way through the flooding fear. I drew my pistol and aimed it at the interface. "Who I 'sully myself' with is none of your fucking business, freak!" I shot until the consoles frazzled and the VI went offline. The darkness was oppressive, bearing down on me and pressing tight against my skin… But at least I was free of his sermons.

There was still fighting going on outside. I slammed my fist once more against the door, then brought up my omni-tool to make some attempt to hack through the door. This time, all my codes and passwords came up useless. "Shit. Shit. Shit!" Using the flickering orange light, I looked around for something – anything – that would aid my escape.

My gaze fixed on a maintenance hatch on the ceiling with a wave of hope.

Stacking a chair on one of the tables, I was just able to reach it. I couldn't hack the lock, but my gun made short work of the fragile grating. I pulled myself up and into the venting system above.

I followed the tunnel until I found an exit. Kicking it open, I emerged on one of the walkways above the cargo hold. A line of soldiers blocked the way in front of me, firing assault rifles into the space below. Archangel, Sid, Monty and a handful of the prisoners had managed to take cover behind the crates. Some of the women had found guns. Other cried, cowering with their children. They were pinned down, unable to even get a shot in.

Freedom from my makeshift cell turned terror to pure rage. My flames twisted up along my arms. I drew combat knives from my belt and with a primal roar, I charged at my startled adversaries.

My blade sliced along the first man's neck. His hands came up in a futile effort to stem the flow of blood rushing over his white armour. I shoved him off the walkway and struck at the second, managing to hit a weak point between the protective plating. The knife slipped between his ribs like butter. With a spin, the third man was knocked back with a kick to the chest before my flames caught up with him. His scream of agony was blissfully satisfying.

By now, the last two men had reloaded and turned their weapons towards me. I ducked low, still charging forwards and slashing at both sets of knees as I dodged between them. Both crumpled. My boot crushed the windpipe of one as I claimed his weapon and stood to shoot his last companion.

"Fuck you."

Five more men were firing down from the opposite walkway. Two on the end had turned to fire towards me. It wasn't much, but it gave Archangel a small opening. As always, he seized it. With perfect precision, three rounds were fired, one after the other. Headshots, all of them.

I powered up a biotic charge wreathed in flame and flew over to the opposing walkway. My target was thrown back against the wall before slumping motionless. I grabbed the last with fists full of flame and with another savage cry, I tossed him over the railings to land at Archangel's feet. The turian drew a short-range pistol from his belt and ended his life.

He looked up at me. "Maggie! Time to go."

I couldn't agree more. I vaulted over the railings onto a stack of crates, then leapt down to join them on the lower level. Monty had taken a nasty hit to the shoulder. Sid applied a quick round of medigel, then yanked him up onto his feet. The rounded up the freed prisoners and convinced them to follow Archangel and me as we led the way out of that godforsaken ship. There was resistance, but between my up-close and personal brawling and Archangels perfect aim, they didn't stand much chance. A small crowd of last stand soldiers tried to barricade the exit. Mustering all my remaining rage, I threw out a shockwave of fiery explosions. Canisters detonated like bombs. Consoles fried with devastating electrical charges. The victims scream. I smiled. As the smoke cleared, there was nothing but a pile of burned bodies to climb over.


	9. Chapter 9

**NINE**

My stomach wouldn't stop twisting. Hellfire eyes blazed through my minds eyes, refreshing every horror I'd thought I'd buried. Fists clenched as I rushed back to Archangels base at a storming pace. I wasn't sure if I needed a shit ton of Monty's whiskey or to throw up… it was a close call.

"Maggie, wait up!" Sid, Monty and Archangel himself trailed behind me.

"Stay away from me." I grit my teeth, my voice as low and as gravelly as I could make it. To any sane turian, it'd have been a huge warning.

But Sid was too stupid to be called sane. He jogged a little way and grabbed my arm. "Hey, just slow down. We're clear, okay? We got away."

I spun. My fist collided with his jaw, and I felt his rough plating crack under my knuckles. "You were supposed to be gathering the intel! How the fuck did you miss a trap like that?" He staggered back, his taloned hand grasping his face as blue blood oozed from his mouth. "Virus's in their computers? Trained soldiers?!"

For once in his pitiful life, Sid wasn't having it. "You know what? Fuck you, Maggie!" I was almost impressed as he straightened up and aimed his own unsteady hit towards me. He missed. My strike had already dazed him. "You had all the intel on these bastards. Why didn't _you_ know about the trap? Besides, it was pretty fucking obvious the second we stepped foot on that ship that they were expecting us!" He pointed an angry finger at me. "You must have tipped them off! We all know how you like to play both sides."

My eyes flew wide as all-consuming rage flooded my blood. Flame engulfed my fists, and before I knew what I'd done, I hurled a ball of fire towards the witless turian.

Archangel pulled him back at the last second, the blow taking down his shield and leaving scorch on the paintwork of his old C-Sec armour. "That's enough!" The distorter on his helmet couldn't filter out the annoyance in his tone. His blank eye mask fixed on me. "Take your shitty mood somewhere else, Maggie. Leave Sid out of it."

The command was salt in old, festering wounds. Rejection – startling, unexpected and new – was a throttling agony. I felt treacherous wetness about my eyes and turned away before any of them could see. A dark alleyway off to my right served, and I dashed down it.

When was the last time I'd cried? I shook my head violently as the memories tried to overwhelm; all of them now pulled out from under heavy rocks for a thorough airing. Hands shook. Feet stumbled as I ran. No matter how fast I went, I couldn't escape. I slammed a hand against a hot metal wall to catch my faltering balance. Finally, a choked sob scratched my throat, and I allowed myself to break. I couldn't have stemmed the tide even if I'd wanted too. Knees found the filthy floor… and I missed something I thought I'd become immune to.

A taloned hand on my shoulder made me scream in shock. I looked up, wide-eyed, expecting to see the face of a ghost…

Archangel took a cautious step back in response to my alarm.

I rolled my eyes, angry with myself, and turned to sit with my back against the piss-scorched metal.

Reaching up, Archangel removed the impassive helmet. Blue eyes usually sharp with world-weary anger had softened to something almost grey. He blinked a few times, assessing whether or not I was still a threat before letting his guard down completely. "I didn't mean it."

My expression to steeled over and, wiping my eyes, I got to my feet. "Didn't mean what?"

"Er…" he faltered then gave a sheepish shrug. "However you took it. Pretty sure it's not what I meant. I just wanted you to lay off Sid. This wasn't his mess."

"No. It was mine."

"I didn't say that."

"Didn't have to." I couldn't meet his gaze. The floor provided a distraction. "You turians respect that, right? 'Fessing to your fuck ups?"

"You didn't fuck up, Maggie. We knew we were walking into a trap." He braved leaning against the wall next to me. "And besides, we got all the hostages out and made off with some damn good tech for Mordin. All in all, I'd call it a success."

But I shook my head, even went so far as to shut my eyes. "I should never have gone with you. If I weren't there, they'd never have pulled the trigger."

"You think they would have just let us stroll out of that place?" Garrus's scepticism was audible.

I peeked up at him. "Maybe. With Cerberus backing them, they have resources to spare. They'd have let me get too cocky…Guess I already was."

Archangel folded his arms over his chest with brow plates furrowed and mandibles pulled tight against his face – the turian equivalent of a deep frown. "Alright. Out with it."

"Out with what?"

His frown turned disapproving. "Don't dodge me, Maggie. What did you do to piss them off? What's the bounty they have on you?"

"What did _I_ do to _them_? _"_ I scoffed and shook my head. For the first time in a lot of years, shame prickled at my skin. Of course. He thought I'd double-crossed them… the way I'd double-crossed and used him a few times already. To the saviour of Omega, a sneak and a rat was all I'd ever be. The irony was another sharp sting. He saw it in my gaze when I looked up at him. "I escaped."

His frown dropped into shock.

I smirked with satisfaction. "Yeah. Hard to imagine 'Maggie' being anything less than a hard-ass, backstabbing criminal. Well, that was kind of the point."

Garrus was looking thoughtful again. "They don't seem the type to chase down their prisoners… they were shooting to kill tonight…"

He wasn't going to let this go. A thirst for the gory details - for the whole gritty story - hung in his eyes. The investigator within was tempted. The C-Sec officer had to know.

For some reason, that didn't grate on me the way it did coming from anyone else. In fact, as I pulled in a deep breath, it exhaled dangerously close to a sigh of relief. God, I was tired. How long had I been running for? How long had it been since someone had genuinely wanted to know? Not to sell me out. Not to use it as blackmail… but to ease the burden weighing on my shoulders.

"I wasn't a prisoner. I was their whole reason for existing. 'Project Eve'…" I glanced up at him. "And guess who had the honour of being 'Adam'."

I'd expected some confusion considering our difference in specie, but he gave a grim nod as though he understood. Then, catching my surprise, he added, "C-Sec training meant becoming vaguely familiar with most Citadel faiths. When you told me these guys were Christian extremists, I did a little more research."

I found a small smile for him. Of course he had. He was through like that. "Yeah, well, problem is, I'm a more of a 'Lilith'." That puzzled him. "Adam's first wife," I enlightened. "Refused to lie down and take his and God's misogynistic shit. She was exiled and perceived as a demon forever after." I shrugged. "Not saying she didn't do shit to deserve it, just… y'know… you get called 'evil bitch' enough times, that's what you become."

Another short, understanding nod… and then a silent, piercing stare.

I looked away again, my stomach twisting into knots as I realised he was still waiting for more. "'Father Daniels' likes to play God. Unsatisfied with the wonton and sinful women that rejected him and his narcissistic personality disorder… he decided to 'create his own' and bring about a new generation of superior 'perfected' humans." I shrugged. "He pieced together DNA from multiple subjects, isolating the genes he wanted to keep and doing away with anything undesirable. He even threw in some unique experimental gene therapy to up the ante…" I raised a hand, allowing flames to circle my fingers pointedly.

"Wait. You're telling me… he 'created' you?" Disbelief was etched into his expression.

"In a test tube," I confirmed. "Well, at first. I got upgraded to 'incubation tank' when I was big enough. He messed around with my DNA a little more before I was flushed, aged about fourteen physically."

"Spirits…" I caught the first glimpse of disgust flaring his mandibles before he turned away.

"They did their best to raise me up a 'good girl'. For a while… I was." I turned away and laughed bitterly, speaking now to the dead end that fenced us in. "For the longest time, I believed their bullshit. I was going to be the mother of a new age. I was going to bring divine perfection to imperfect beings. My sons would be kings of all creation. The universe would tremble… all that crap."

"What changed?"

A jolt shot through my chest. That moment of weakness threatened to return with a vengeance. "I miscarried." I shrugged like it was a casual thing… like I didn't care… even as my heart bled. "Three times. They did some tests." I felt Archangel's eyes on my back as I laughed inappropriately. "It was a fucked-up irony… being unable to carry. Too much genetic manipulation. I wasn't 'natural' enough. Pissed off 'Father' Daniels no end. I guess that's when it fell apart." With a deep, shuddering breath, I stretched my arms up and rested hands on my head and turned back to face him with a forced smile. "I was everything he ever wanted in a woman, except for this. So, he tried to fix it."

"Shit, Maggie!" Garrus pushed himself away from the wall, shaking his head in agitation. There was a thought, a realisation that had dawned on him that he didn't like even more than what I'd told him already. "You're not… I mean… don't take it the wrong way…" He glanced at me with a small frown. "You're not old enough. You'd have to have been…"

"I was sixteen when he put me under the knife. I started to hate him pretty damn soon after that. I realised I was nothing but an obedient guinea pig, so I started to fight back. That pissed him off more."

More furious head shaking. He was struggling to believe it. I couldn't blame him. It sounded made up even to me. A small rumbling growl emanated from deep beneath his chest plate. "I've seen some pretty sick shit working for C-Sec, but…"

"You asked," I said defensively.

"How did you get away?" He tried to ask calmly, but his tone faltered into something almost demanding.

I shrugged. "Luck."

He arched his brow plates in puzzlement. "…Luck?"

"You weren't the only one to see his name cross your desk a few times and get worked up about it, Angel… Difference is, someone else was in a better position to do something about it."

He narrowed his eyes as he tried to decipher my meaning.

"Spectre," I told him shortly. "One of them decided Daniels and his 'Cult of Eve' were a big enough threat to warrant attention. He came to the facility where I was held and blew the place to hell. He was kind enough to give me a ride out… even trained me enough that I'd survive when he dropped me off here on Omega. 'Best place to disappear', he said."

"He dropped you here? A sheltered cultist experiment and he just abandoned you-?"

"Hey!" I cut over him with a sting of anger. "No one said shit about abandoning me. "Nihlus stuck around and taught me to fend for myself, and when business called him off again, he offered to take me with!" I folded my arms over my chest. "I didn't want to leave and run the risk of having the cult come after him. But he checked in every month… even sent me credits so I wouldn't have to…" I trailed off. Garrus was staring at me with a hung mouth and wide eyes. I realised I'd run my mouth more than I'd meant. With a purse of my lips, I looked away from him. "He stopped calling a couple of years back. For a little while, I thought he was just done babysitting me, but… I caught the news when Shepard got made Spectre."

The silence that stretched writhed uncomfortably. I gave Garrus a moment to digest the news and crossed the alley to hoist myself up onto a stack of crates. With elbows resting against my knees, I pulled out a smoke and lit up. "Nihlus was the first person to treat me with any kind of respect, and he wasn't even human." I scoffed through the first puff of smoke. "Guess that explains my turian fetish, huh?"


	10. Chapter 10

**TEN**

"Is this place secure?"

"As you can get on Omega, sure." I rummaged through one of my old stash crates. News of the attack on Project Eve had spread like wildfire, and in the hour that Archangel and I were away from base, their agents had emerged to comb the nearby streets. The way back was blocked, so, reluctantly, I'd shown the vigilante to one of my bolt-holes in Aria's secret tunnels. It was one I hadn't used for years. Not since… "Ah, got it." I pulled a bottle of turian brandy from the bottom of the crate and threw it towards him. "You're a drinker, right? I've seen the empty bottles in your room Mr Borderline-Alcoholic." I snatched up a bottle of my own. "Will the others be ok without you? They seem like the kind who couldn't organise a piss up in a brewery without you holding their hands…"

"They'll be fine." Archangel holstered his rifle and turned the liquor over to read the grubby label. "They'll be expecting some retaliation and Butler is a pretty decent tactician. Besides, what I've seen of these extremist bastards, they're not really much of a threat unless they're on their home turf."

"Yeah, they didn't have much of an army when I was there, and they avoid recruiting outsiders, so that limits their options…" I kicked a bedroll towards him. Just the one. Double sized.

Archangel lifted his brow plates. "So… you and Nihlus…?"

"We fucked a lot," I admitted with a shrug. "It was just gratitude and cultural curiosity at first, but…" I hadn't meant to say so much. I felt a burning in my throat even before I'd started on the drink. Kicking closed the lid on the crate, I turned away and took a seat, my side to him.

"But…?" he pressed.

With a shrug, I cracked open the bottle. "Doesn't matter."

Archangel was quiet as he unfurled the bedroll and put it up against the wall in a shady corner. For the long moment it took, I thought I'd escaped the subject unscathed.

"Did he mark you?"

The swig of whiskey I'd just poured into my mouth choked me. "Fucking hell, Angel!"

The turian threw up his hands defensively. "Just asking."

"No!" I shook my head and threw back another mouthful to wash down the last. "Jesus. No. Nihlus was respectable and shit. I'm not exactly the kind of girl he could bring home to mama and expect a happy welcome."

"Oh, I don't know…" His mandibles flared with a teasing grin. "You might have had one of those epic forbidden romances everyone's so keen on. Run away together. Faced the evil and the prejudice of the galaxy arm in arm." He took a seat atop the made bed and rested his back against the wall.

I stared at him for a long moment, watching as he reclaimed the bottle I'd tossed to him. I hadn't tagged him as a romantic. Taking another drink for courage, I dared to push him. Seemed only fair after his last question. "Like you and Shepard?"

I may as well have hit him. His body went rigid in a way I'd learned meant there was as much anger as there was shock.

I averted my gaze and lifted my drink again. "Never mind. Forget I said it."

To his credit, Garrus was more forgiving than other turians. When he spoke, his voice remained level with a surprisingly good façade of calm. "No. Shepard and I… I admired her as a mentor more than…" He trailed off and with a defeated sigh and lifted the bottle to his lips – plates. Whatever.

"Your 'teacher' dies, and you're down here drinking Omega swill with a death wish? Come on, dude. Don't give me bullshit. I know grief when I see it, believe me."

He glanced at me from the corner of his steely eyes. "It really wasn't like that. I liked her. We were good friends. But when she died… everything she did just died with her. Her cause. Her mission." He shook his head in agitation. "It pissed me off. I went in for Spectre training, but all the bureaucratic bullshit… I couldn't see it through."

I cracked an approving smile. "Spectre training, huh? No wonder you're wiping the floor with the Omega thugs."

"Maybe." He narrowed his eyes a fraction. "How'd you know about Shepard and me anyway?"

"One of your guys mentioned it," I admitted. "I didn't believe it at first, but I checked the citadel news archives on the extranet and found a list of 'honourable mentions' for members of the then crew of the Normandy." I gestured towards him with my bottle. "And there you were. 'Officer Garrus Vakarian' in big blazing letters. It had your c-sec picture on it and everything."

"Oh… I… didn't think anyone would go to the effort."

"Yeah, well…" A little heat came to my face that I blamed on the alcohol and how fast I was drinking it. I shrugged, trying to brush him off. "You know me, I like to know people's secrets."

"Uh-huh." He took a long drink. "And er… what else did you dig up about me?"

"Well…" I tilted my flask, trying to gauge how much I'd actually had. "Turns out you're a respectable turian too. Your family is pretty high up in that Hierarchy thing your people have going on, right? Dad's big-name C-sec, not to mention, buddies with the Primarch." The liquor was making my head spin. Words I didn't mean to say stumbled from my lips. "Guess you'll need to find yourself a respectable girl too."

"That's… pretty thorough work…" He shifted a little, bringing his leg up to rest his arm on. "Actually, I'm kinda the 'black sheep'. I don't think coming home with a renegade girl would even shock my parents anymore."

I laughed and tried to smother the silly schoolgirl spark that had set off fireworks in my chest. "Kind of a bad boy are you, Angel?"

He chuckled along with me, then, with tipsy drama, added, "'Archangel', all round turian bad boy and dispenser of justice in an unjust galaxy!"

"Oh my god!" I choked the words through near hysterical mirth. "Sounds like a fucking nerdy comic-book hero. They'll be making cartoons of you next."

"You bet your arse." He raised his bottle to me. "Might even be a spot on the cover for a pink-haired femme fatale."

"Hey, it's 'magenta' you short fringed bastard!"

"Really? Looks kinda washed out from here. What are you? Blonde underneath?"

"No! Well… yeah, but you're talkin' about the orange I put in there yesterday. Look…" I got up, crossed the small space before I lost the nerve and flopped down to sit on the bedroll next to him. "See." I pointed out the different strands. "Orange, red and _magenta_."

"Now it just looks like an explosion went off on your head."

I pushed at his arm playfully. "Ah, fuck you! You have no sense of style, Angel."

"Didn't say I didn't like it." His voice dropped a pitch or two. Sub vocals I wasn't supposed to recognise rolled through the air to tingle at my skin.

I gave him a look; made sure to angle my head just so, meet his gaze fearlessly, and tell him I knew _exactly_ what that pitch meant.

He came over with a blushing awkwardness that surprised me. Coughing into his fist, he looked at his bottle in accusation. "We err… should probably get some sleep."

I narrowed my eyes, irritated by the sudden drop in confidence. This wasn't the Archangel I'd dreamed about. "Not into humans?" I asked bluntly.

He cleared his throat. "Not… typically."

"'Typically,' huh?" I shook my head, frustrated both with his fumbling and my own crushing disappointment. "Weird. I usually have a better bead on these things. Ah well. Your loss." With a shrug, I shoved myself onto my feet and kicked the edge of the bed. "Get some sleep. I'll keep first watch, and we'll swap in a few hours."

"Maggie…"

"Forget about it." I took a seat on the crate, my back to him, my gaze fixed purposefully on the corridor and the secret entrance we'd come through. "I'll wake you in four hours."

There was a moment of awkward quiet before I heard the tell-tale rustle of him setting aside the bottles and laying out on the bedroll. I listened to his breathing, waiting the long minutes until it had evened out before letting my shoulders slump. I glanced at him, admiring his sleeping features under the orange glow of the omega lights. With a sigh, I turned away again and drew my knee up to my chest. "Well… fuck you."

* * *

I'd hoped to able to sleep off the rejection – like I always did – but the hard edge of it was still cutting into my gut when Archangel woke me from my nap. Tired, sore from sleeping on the ground and with an after-liquor headache brewing, I was glad to be making our way back to base. Most of the Project Eve folk had cleared out and, thankfully, we met little resistance as we trundled up to the main doors.

"Well, look what the cat dragged in," Butler greeted, looking up from his cereal.

"You're back!" Melenis was rushing down from the dormitories with all the sickening girlish grace her race was capable of. It got me thinking of a nineteen-fifties housewife the way she fussed over us. "Did you run into any trouble? Is anyone hurt?"

"We're fine," Angel assured her. "How was it here?"

"They took a few pot-shots at us," Butler reported with a shrug. "Sensat chucked a couple of incendiary grenades out. They scampered off pretty quick."

"Yeah, they really don't like fire for some reason." Melenis was smiling at me. "Seems to creep them out."

"Hmm…" Archangel shouldered his rifle. "Good to know." He clapped me on the shoulder then headed for the armoury. "You should catch up on your sleep."

"Where are you running off too?" I demanded.

"I have a couple of errands to run."

"You know you have a bounty on your head, right?"

He cast a cocksure turian smile over his shoulder. "They'll never see me coming."

I rolled my eyes but was too frustrated to get into an argument with him. Instead, hunger – and my continuing headache – led me into the kitchen in a hunt for food. "Is that bacon?" I leaned close to whatever Monty was cooking. "Smells like bacon. Hey, I'll trade you. I got another turian Fornax."

Monty stiffened, then glanced towards me with shifty eyes. "Which edition?"

With a mischievous smile, I leaned forward and whispered against his ear. "2183 – Human turian _collaboration_."

He thrust the handle of the frying pan at me. "Sold."

"Score!"

Sidonis sidled up as Monty turned off to rummage in the cupboards in search of new breakfast options. "You have the 2183 edition?"

"Not anymore." I leaned around the turian to address the human. "I'll get it to you tonight."

He waved a biscuit at me. "Hey, before my shower slot, ok?"

"You bet. Sid, if you don't back the fuck away from my hair and stop scenting me, I'm gonna shove this bacon in your face and watch you die from anaphylactic shock."

The turian raised his hands and backed off. He took a perch leaning on one of the nearby counters instead. "So uh… You and Archangel were out all night…"

"What an astute observation."

"I just mean… you kinda got some of his scent on you."

I groaned inwardly, already guessing where this was going. "Not that it's any of your business, but we had to share a bedroll… you know, in _shifts_."

"Oh! Yeah. Course. Hey, Maggie… about yesterday."

I turned and waved my greasy spatula at him. "Don't you _dare_ apologise, you fucking coward!"

"I wasn't!" He squared his shoulders, even had the nerve to straighten his back and stand to his full height. "I didn't fuck up this time!"

With pursed lips and a begrudging smidge of admiration, I turned back to the crisping bacon. "Makes a change."

"I just wanted to make sure things were cool between us. I don't want to hold any grudges or anything."

"Don't worry, Sid, you couldn't have any less of my respect if you tried."

"Er…"

I tutted, realising he wasn't going to let this go unless I threw him a bone. "We're good, Sid. Relax. Jeez. Get a chill pill in you."

"I'm cutting back."

"Good for you. Hey, Monty, we got ketchup?"

The human looked back from the spot he'd stolen in the sitting room. "Cupboard to your left."

"You're my new sweetheart, you know that, right?"

The human gave me a broad boyish smile and a thumbs up.

Sid continued to hover at my shoulder while I made up my sandwich. His presence was like the buzz of an annoying fly too fast to swat. No matter how many times I tried to wave him off, he'd just swing around me to stand somewhere else irritatingly close.

"For fuck sake, I am too tired for this shit. What do you _want_?"

"Actually, I wanted to ask…"

"Then ask and quit bugging me."

"How come you worked for the mercs like you did?"

I paused, a large cutting knife ready in my hand. "What?"

Again, Sid went defensive. His talons flew upwards as he glanced nervously at the glinting kitchen blade. "I just meant… You had some pretty high up friends. They coulda given you anything you wanted. Why didn't you?"

"And do what?" I turned and cut my sandwich into triangle halves. "Lounge around in a merc harem all day? No thanks."

"You could have gotten off Omega. The eclipse has bands on Illium. The Blue Suns go pretty much all over the place. You could get a fresh start."

I snorted, amused at his vast overestimation of my street value. "I never had that kind of sway with any of them. Even if I did, I wouldn't leave."

Sid was genuinely shocked. "You wouldn't?"

"Omega's a shit hole. But it's mine." I put half the sandwich onto another plate and carried them both into the lounge. "Home is where the heart is and all that crap."

"There's a whole galaxy out there. Don't you want to see it?"

With a shrug, I dropped one of the plates into Monty's lap, surprising him. "Maybe for a vacation…"

Monty narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "This better not cost me the centrefold."

"Relax, kid. I'm feeling nice. Take advantage." I flopped down onto the adjacent couch and propped my feet on the coffee table. "I must still be drunk or something."

To my exasperation, Sid claimed the seat next to me. "Why didn't you go on vacation then?" he asked, still driving at some unknown point.

"Never felt the inclination. What the fuck has your knickers in a twist anyway? You buggering off or something?"

He looked down at his talons sheepishly. "Nah. I don't have that kind of credit."

I bit into my sandwich and let out a moaned for the heavenly taste of bacon and thick lashings of ketchup. "Jesus, I haven't had proper bacon in years."

"Nicked it from the supply crates in that ship we went to yesterday," Monty confessed with a wicked grin. "It was just sitting there… all beautiful and bacon-like. I couldn't help myself."

I raised my sandwich to him. "Pilfered from the enemy. Good man!" Perhaps it was the warm meat in my stomach. Maybe I was feeling a little dejected and in a rare need for company. Whichever, I found myself nudging Sid's leg with my foot. "Where you dreaming of then? If you were gonna get the hell off Omega?"

"I'd go to Illium!" Monty piped up. "A good pickpocket could make a seriously decent living there."

"Citadel," Sid confessed with a shrug. "I was born and raised there. Guess it's home."

I arched an eyebrow at him. "How'd you wind up stuck here?"

"Gambling debts and some bad calls," he admitted, his head hanging with shame. "I've been trying to get off this rock for ages, but…"

"You're a resourceful little shit," I told him through another mouthful. "I'm sure you'll worm your way out eventually."

"I…don't know if that's a compliment or not…"

I snorted. "Take what you can get."


	11. Chapter 11

**ELEVEN**

Archangel was up to something. Sneaking out on his own wasn't his usual MO. Yet, I watched from my perch on the dormitory window as, for the third time in a week, his silhouette darted over the bridge towards the wards. No one else on the team seemed to know what he was up to either. I heard them gossiping amongst themselves – hell, Melenis and Sid had even tried trading theories with me. "Maybe he has a girlfriend!" The asari had exclaimed hopefully.

Her enthusiasm was a knife in my gut. "Yeah. A nice respectable turian woman."

"They have those on Omega?" Sid arched his brow plate almost hopefully.

"That was sarcasm you dope."

One by one the rest of the gang came home. Some brought their spoils of the night to share out, others just sat quietly and polished their guns. Monty was the last to stagger in and, pulling Melenis to one side, very quietly asked for a specific anti-allergen cream. At least someone was getting laid… Why wasn't I?

I frowned at the holographic screen of the TV, only half listening to the biased Batarian reporter spouting his bullshit. Why wasn't I out at Afterlife, getting drunk and shagging a turian guard or an asari dancer? I wasn't… waiting in for him, was I…? Ah shit!

I shook my head to myself and wondered when the fuck I'd been domesticated. This was supposed to be a part-time gig. A little fun and cash on the side. What else was I expecting?

I threw my head against the back of the couch and heaved a heavy sigh, already telling myself to the shut the hell up. This stopped being a casual thing when Archangel had ordered his men into Project Eve… and they'd gone. There was a slithering, _binding_ sense of gratitude and a worry – no, an outright fear – that Daniels would come for them in vengeance. Dying for their own stupid cause was one thing… But I couldn't sit around and let them die because of me.

Slowly, I became aware of a discussion growing heated in the kitchen behind me. Melenis, Butler, Krul, Sid and Monty stood around the counter island bickering in their best attempt at hushed tones.

"He's never been gone this long…" Mel was saying, worry pouring from her tone.

Sid shifted awkwardly. "Should we send a team out to look for him?"

Butler folded his arms over his chest. "You tried calling his omni-tool, right?"

Mel was nodding. "Several times on different channels. No answer."

"This is _her_ fault!" Krul pointed a beefy Krogan finger in my direction, his voice rising to a roar.

I arched my brow in alarm. "Huh? What the hell did I do?"

Krul let out a low, hair-raising growl. "You were the one that wanted 'Project Eve' taken out so bad. You warped him with your whore pheromones and now he's gone on the hunt!" He craped his feet against the carpet in that tell-tale way that meant trouble was about to come crashing towards me.

I scrambled up, ready to get the hell out of the way if I had to.

Sid moved between the two of us. "What the fuck, Krul?"

"Having Sidonis wrapped around your tiny human fingers wasn't enough? You had to seduce our boss too?"

"You been drinking?" I snapped back. "Archangel isn't the slight bit interested in humans."

"Bullshit! I've seen him lookin' at your waist. Turians always got a thing for waists and yours is puny."

"Krul, that's enough!" Mel was trying to pull his arm back. "Archangel is his own man. Maggie can't _make_ him do anything."

The krogan slammed his fists together, preparing to bulrush.

I struck first and threw a flaming push at him. The krogan was thrown against the wall, howling in pain as he left behind an impressive silhouette in the scorch marks. With a wild roar, he jumped to his feet, still ready to attack.

Sidonis stopped him with a gun aimed between his eyes at point blank range. "Back off, Krul!"

I arched an eyebrow, actually impressed with the coward's moment of bravery.

"Watch it turian…" the krogen growled out.

"Stand down both of you!" Archangel himself issued the order as he finally reappeared through the main doors.

Cautiously, Sidonis lowered his pistol.

Krul quieted his grumbling to a low rant, then pushed past Archangel, muttering something about finding a real fight on his way out.

With a shake of his head, the boss made his way towards the stairs.

"Oh no you don't!" Melenis grabbed his elbow to get his attention. "Where have you been? We've been worried sick."

Angel grasped the railings and leaned with the air of casual civility. "Why, Melenis, I didn't know you cared."

I narrowed my eyes as a slither of suspicion coiled in my gut. There was something in the way he grasped the rails… An odd stiffness in his body. I followed the lines of tense muscles and sure enough, spotted a tell-tale breach in his abdominal armour. A little knife-sized rip and a tiny glisten of blue. Someone had gotten up close and personal and managed to take out his shields.

"Of course we care!" For all her medical training, Melenis hadn't noticed. Fairness to her, though, Asari didn't have any heightened senses that would let her detect the wound. I wouldn't have noticed myself if I wasn't so attuned to Garrus's body language.

"I'm fine, really. Just working on a little project. You guys should turn in. It's getting late." He refused to say anything else on the matter and turned away to continue his climb with an air of finality.

"What 'project'?" Sid looked to me. "Do you know anything about this?"

"Why the hell would I know, Sid?"

Melenis took over with a frown. "Krul might have been rude, but he had a point. Between your private sparring sessions and all-night stop outs, you and Archangel are pretty close these days."

A little light went on in the back of my head and I realised I'd been played. "You sneaky little bitch."

Both she and Sid looked alarmed.

"That bullshit earlier about him maybe having a girlfriend…" I jerked m head towards Archangel's door. "You coulda just asked if we were fucking." I was almost impressed with how well she'd played to my perceptions of her in order to weasel out a tell-tale response. Never trust an Asari. "We're not."

Melenis shrugged, "He clearly has a thing for you, though. What kind of trouble is that going to get him into, Maggie?"

Fingers clenched into angry fists. "You said yourself, I can't _make_ him do anything. He's a big boy capable of making his own choices."

"And you're manipulative by trade."

Her words were a chilling ice-bucket thrown over my head. Of all the people to turn on me, Mel was right at the bottom of my list. Was I losing my edge? Had I been hanging around them so long I was going soft?

"Hey!" Sid came up behind Mel and took her shoulder. "Easy. Maggie's one of us now, she wouldn't do that."

"Yeah, I would," I admitted freely. "I have. But Archangel's clever. He always susses me out."

Now Sidonis was glaring at me too. "What?"

"Fuck the lot of you." Fury burned in my gut. I didn't have time for their bullshit. I didn't have to stand there and take it. With a wild shake of my head, I turned and stormed away up the stairs.

Archangel's door was locked, so I turned into the dormitory. Monty was the only one still awake and quickly tried to hide the magazine he was reading. "Oh… It's you. Hey, is the boss back?"

"He's back." I made a beeline for one of the air vents, snatching up the first-aid kit on route. Kicking in the grate, I ducked down and let myself into the narrow space.

"Maggie?!"

I ignored the human boy and crawled my way forward on elbows and knees. It wasn't hard to find Archangels room. Easier still to knock in the grating on his side.

The clatter startled the turian. He grabbed a pistol from his desk and turned it on me.

"Relax." I pulled myself out and scrambled onto my feet. Holding up the med-kit, I added. "I come baring bandages."

The shock took a moment to clear, but once he'd registered that I wasn't a threat, Archangel lowered his weapon and discarded it back onto the table.

He was half out of his armour already, but the blue trickle was rapidly staining his under-suit. The sudden movement to confront me must have jolted it. "Ah, shit!" I closed the space between us and set the kit down on the bed. Bending a little, I ran my fingers over the rip in his suit.

"Hey!" He tried to jerk away from my touch, but I'd already taken an improper grasp on his hip.

"Relax. If there's one thing I know how to patch up it's a knife wound." With a firm push, I knocked him down to sit on the bed next to the med kit. "How long was the blade? How deep do you think it went?"

"It was a small one…" he admitted. "Switchblade, I think. How did you-?"

"I got good eyes."

"Did you tell Melenis?"

"If I did, do you think I'd be the one up here?"

Garrus gave a short laugh. "Guess not."

I reached for the zip of his undersuit and tried to maintain a degree of professionalism as I helped him peel it back from his silver plating. God, he was handsome. Most of the turian mercs on Omega let themselves go a little – had some meat around their waists or the stink of alcohol on their breath. But Garrus was lean sinew and power. And he smelled good – like leather and turian cologne mixed together – even after the heat of a fight. "How'd you get stabbed in the first place?" I asked, trying to distract myself from the tantalising musculature of his stomach. "Last I checked you were a hand to hand specialist."

"Got sloppy. I thought I'd taken them all down but one of them jumped out at me… caught me off guard."

"Idiot."

"Yeah…" He leaned back with a pained groan and relaxed a notch as I started to clean and disinfect the wound.

"Lucky one though. Looks like it missed anything really important." I slipped in a caress, pretending to be looking for hidden wounds between his plates.

Garrus twitched – ticklish, I thought. He propped himself up on his elbows, his hawk-like eyes suddenly fixing on me with an uncomfortable scrutiny. "There aren't any others."

I'd been caught out. I felt the heat come to my face and stubbornly ignored it while I applied medigel and bandages. "Yeah, well… can't be too careful with you." It was a shitty excuse and I knew it.

I finished patching him up and pushed myself back onto my feet, watching for a long moment as he retrieved a hideous blue and green shirt from one of his drawers. Turians really did have a terrible sense of colour. "Hey… Garrus?"

The use of his given name made him look up in surprise.

"These little late-night outings you're going on… You're not still going after Project Eve, are you?"

He was quiet, his shirt hanging forgotten in his talons. A silence that was answer in itself.

"Why?! Are you out of your fucking mind?"

"They're expecting you, not me. If I go alone, I stand a better chance of slipping by their defences."

"They're going to come after you, Garrus! They'll retaliate."

"No one that's seen me has survived yet."

"But they know you were involved last time! You'll be their first suspect!"

He slammed his fist down on the dresser, startling me with the heavy thud. "This is what I do, Maggie! These are exactly the kind of criminals I want to take down. Untouchable by everyone else but a well-placed vigilante." He gestured towards me. "I thought you'd be happy about it. If I can get to Daniels, you won't have to run anymore."

"Get to Daniels…?" It was hard to feel anything through the shock. Only the frantic thud of my heart assured me I was still alive. Something fragile, and precious, and long-lost reared its foolish head from every part of me that was vulnerable. "You're going after Daniels?" Even Nihlus had never tried to go head to head with the mad priest.

"He's on Omega," Archangel told me. "He's here, now, looking for you. He won't rest until he's dragged you back and I'm _not_ going to let him do that."

I looked up at him sharply. "Why not?"

I derailed his rant. Grey eyes blinked a few times, trying to catch up to my logic.

"I'm at best, I'm a whore. At worst, I'm a manipulative, honourless merc. I'm not worth your effort, Angel, believe me. If we'd met the way I'd planned it, I'd be one the criminals you gunned down! Hell, you probably still should!"

"But we didn't meet that way," he argued back. "And you've done right by us-"

"The hell I have! I've used all of you, and you know it!"

"Maggie-"

I threw up my hands, shaking my head and backing away. I couldn't listen to this. He was wrong. He was dead wrong! I wasn't one of his rescued victims. I was no refugee. I didn't need him to save me! "Stay away from Project Eve!" I demanded. "You hear me, Archangel? They'll kill you and it'll be my fault. Just stay the fuck away!" With that, I turned and charged back to the air vents, diving inside before he could catch me.

What the hell was his problem? Who was he kidding? Daniels had all kinds of scum surrounding him. He was a man of traps and deceit. A charismatic leader whose faithful followers would throw themselves on Archangels righteous sword to save their holy priest. It would be a bloodbath! All because of me…


	12. Chapter 12

**TWELVE**

All my usual remedies fell short. No matter how much I drank or fucked, my bad mood only mounted. I even hit the sand trying to find some peace, but the drug only latched onto the problem and made it worse. It went deep… all these emotions I was avoiding like the plague.

The numb shock of Archangels resolve just wouldn't pass, and I was left alone; the solitude I once cherished now crushing in its intensity. Fuck him. This was all his fault! I didn't need anyone until he came along and made crazy, impossible promises. He was delusional if he thought he could take out Daniels.

I still couldn't figure out why he was doing it. Sure, Project Eve would be one hell of a notch on his gun case, but to go at them with such idiotic fervour…? Melenis and Krul seemed to think he was doing it for me. It was a struggle to follow their logic. I guess Archangel was as close to a friend as someone like me could have, and yes, I'd caught him staring at my naked midriff a couple of times, but that was normal for any turian I crossed paths with. Something Krul had said poked around in my mind with irritating persistence, until, finally, in a drug and drink-fuelled haze, I found I _needed_ answers. Something – anything – to grant me a shred of clarity.

I'd avoided hospitals and clinics all of my free life for all the obvious reasons. Just the smell of disinfectant would fill my stomach with a queasy horror. But this time, I went willingly into the belly of the beast. At least it wasn't white and pristine. In fact, Mordin's place was as dark and dank as the rest of Omega… even if it did stink of clean. I stumbled through the waiting room, still not properly sober, and took a number… like everyone else. I'd heard enough about Mordin not to try being my usual brash self.

I slept off some of the drink propped up in the corner until one of the nurses nudged my shoulder and asked if I still wanted to be seen.

Salarians were always tricky buggers. Their uniform asexuality made them difficult for me to manipulate. Mordin, however, was especially so. Old. Wise. With scars that even I had to admit were impressive. He looked me up and down the second I walked in, checking for any obvious signs of illness.

"No open wounds. No signs of fever." He gave me a rudimentary scan with his omni-tool. "Under the influence of several chemical compounds but otherwise picture of human health. Hmm, phycological stress, perhaps?"

"Something like that. Look, you have some advanced medical scanners here, I know because I helped deliver them to you. I want you to scan me. Tell me everything that's unusual compared to other humans."

Mordin cocked his head in open curiosity. "Expecting to find something 'unusual'?"

"Oh yeah." With a tremble of disgust, I hoisted myself up into the bed and sat with my legs dangling towards the floor.

The good thing about Mordin was that he didn't ask any stupid questions. He just got on with what I'd asked him to do, fuelled now by his own curiosity. He made several quizzical noises as he ran the scanner – a white, new-looking instrument that was far from all of his other equipment – from my head to my toes. I sat in silence, waiting for him to finish and wondering if I really wanted to know.

"Fascinating! Extensive genetic manipulation and…" His expression dropped into a frown with depth only a Salarian could achieve. "… _illegal_ medical experimentation. Former test subject, perhaps?" He tutted with open disapproval. "Sloppy, unethical work… "

"Yeah, tell me something I don't know."

He checked over the readings on his omni-tool. "Hmm. Built for endurance. Increased muscle mass. Improved senses. Extensive skin-weave likely dulls pain but also results in some loss of sensation. Also, cybernetic implants to alter hormonal development. Namely estrogen and progesterone… curious. Subject is infertile. Implant useless except to cause emotional instability. Mood swings. Irritability. Ongoing symptoms of pre-menstrual tension. Not good for mental wellness. Curious… do you have a regular menstrual cycle?"

"No. What about pheromones? Am I giving off any weird vibes?"

Mordin blinked at me a few times as he tried to decipher my question, then, checking back at his scans briefly, he replied. "No. Hormonally imbalanced, but nothing detectable without a scanner. Can treat by deactivating implant and prescribing short-term medication to rebalance."

I frowned, confused and angry. "Krul said…"

"'Krul'? Krogan name." He cleared his throat to hide a smile of amusement. "Krogan not renowned scientists, typically speaking. Also, involuntarily attracted to strong, aggressive traits not typically found among humans. Likely confusing matters. Incidentally, human-krogan intimacy extremely dangerous…"

I waved a hand to silence him. "Yeah, trust me, I know. What about turians? They have two sets of nostrils. Can they smell anything weird on me?"

"A great deal no doubt. But your scent relatively normal for a human female on Omega. Turians attracted to similar traits as krogan, however." His smile turned kindly. "Suggest patients' sexual popularity among non-humans is based on reputation and superior physical prowess, not on an unnatural chemical excretion."

I glared at him for a long moment. "You know my reputation?"

"Miss 'Maggie'? Yes. Surprised you haven't come to see me before. Risk of sexually communicable disease very high in your line of work. Superior immune system has clearly given you an edge. No STD's picked up in scans. Recommend a more cautious use of recreational stimulants, however."

"Of course you do."

"Also recommend cautious use of biotic abilities. Reading some interesting abnormalities. Increased body temperature and combustible compound added to element zero via implant-"

"Yeah…" I jumped from his table and headed for the door. "No shit. Thanks, Doc."

* * *

I left Mordin's clinic more confused than when I'd went in. With a slow stroll, I made my way back to Afterlife and tried to find the answers I was looking for in the bottom of a large bottle of vodka. Again, the gods of piss-poor liquor seemed to have deserted me. Instead, I ended up slumped over the bar, growling at anyone who came near.

"Yo! Maggie." Someone was nudging my shoulder. "Hey, come on. Even Afterlife's gotta close for a couple hours. Get your arse outta here." The low, duel-toned grumble made my nose wrinkle in disappointment. Laying a punch on Grizz probably wouldn't go down too well.

"Urgh. Alright, alright. Don't shout, arsehole." With sluggish movements, I managed to pull myself up from the counter.

The guard was glaring down at me with furrowed brow plates. "Spirit's Maggie. I've seen you get shit-faced before, but never enough to completely knock yourself out. You sure that's wise, considering who's crawling around the station?"

"As if Aria would let them creep up on me in the centre of her kingdom. Pfft. I'm far too useful to let that happen, right?" I jumped down onto the floor only to have it sway unhelpfully under my feet. "Shit!" The room toppled over, and I stumbled into Grizz's waiting arm.

"Uh-huh. Where you heading? I'll call you a cab."

In a fruitless façade of sobriety, I straightened up – clasping the bar for support – and flashed him my best effort at a seductive smile. "Let me crash at yours. I'll let you do the arse thing."

Grizz let out a snorting scoff. "You're kidding."

"Come on baby. I'll love you long time…" I ran a taunting finger along the edge of his cowl.

He knocked my hand away. "You can barely stand let alone fuck. Go home, Maggie. Maybe Archangel will keep you from vomiting in your sleep." With a shake of his head, he turned and strode off back towards his post.

"Well, fuck you!" Shit, my head was pounding! And where did he get off calling Archangel 'home' anyway? He knew I didn't have a home! Dickhead. I snatched my bottle from the bar and swirled the dregs in the bottom. There were maybe three more shots left. Downing one, I stumbled my way towards the back doors and out into the alleyways.

Thoughts ran like slow trains on broken tracks. Swirling depression and pathetic self-pity tried to choke me… or maybe there was a gas leak somewhere? Hard to tell on Omega. For the first half of the journey, my anger was fixed on Grizz and the betrayal of his first rejection. I wasn't _that_ drunk, and he'd never stopped himself from fucking me unconscious in the past! Jeez… But it didn't take long for the vodka induced haze to find some way to blame this shit on Archangel. I'd never have needed to drink so much if he didn't make me _feel_ things. Damn his goody-two-shoes heroism! Damn is stubborn charm… and damn his fucking death wish. Something painfully akin to worry twisted in my gut and made me feel sick. Or maybe it was just—

I threw up against one of the metallic walls. Yeah. Maybe it was the vodka. I threw back another shot to wash away the foul taste and continued towards 'home'. Was I turning into an alcoholic?

I stumbled through the main doors all kinds of messed up. I might have felt shame if I were sober enough. Some small voice in the back of my head was warning me I'd probably feel it – and a hell of a hangover – once I ran out of booze. "Where is he?" I slurred, walking in a zig-zag towards the back stairs.

"Maggie! Where have you been? We've been worried sick!" Melenis was doing her mama bear thing, her blue hands already reaching to check me over. "You've been gone for days…"

I threw her off with a clumsy flailing of my arms. The rest of my vodka spilt in the effort. "Oh, fucking shit-titties!"

Taloned hands grasped my shoulders from behind. I looked up, hopeful, only to have my stomach plummet in disappointment as I caught Sid's lavender markings through my blurred vision. "Ge' orf me, prick. Where's Archangel? I gotta bone to pick with him."

Sid arched his brow at me. "Another one?"

"Oh, screw you! Like you're so holy. Where is he?"

"He's out again…" Melenis was trying to guide me to sit on the couch.

"Fine!" I wriggled free of Sid's hands and threw a useless punch in his direction when he tried to catch me. "I'll wait." On unsteady legs, I staggered for the stairs but was forced to pause to throw up at the foot.

Mel and Sid both cursed. The former ran towards the sink – presumably to fetch water – while the latter reached for the mop. I took their distraction as an opportunity and, with a moment of very painful concentration, I managed to race up the steps and into Archangel's room.

As they'd said, it was vacant. I dropped my empty bottle onto his desk, locked the door behind me and hit the button to close the shutters over the windows.

"Maggie?!" The asari was already knocking at the door. "Maggie, I don't know the code. Let me in, okay?"

"Nah. I'm good." I tripped over my own feet and landed sprawled, face-first, on the bed. God, it smelled nice. My eyes drooped heavily. I grabbed one of the over-fluffy pillows and dragged it towards my nose. It made me think of him; of intimate sparring sessions down in the basement and the spark of deadly determination in sharp blue-grey eyes. My drunken heart gave a feeble leap as the blood in my body heated to unbearable intensity. Inner thighs itched to feel rough plates between them. Damn Grizz! What I wouldn't give for a good turian lay…

I turned my head into Archangel's pillow and felt my brow furrow of its own accord. Where the hell was he? How long had he been gone this time?... Was he coming back? My insides twisted again, but this time, my stomach was too empty to give anything up. Instead, a hot bead of water dripped from the corner of my eye and ran down my nose. Shit.


	13. Chapter 13

**AN: Spoiler alert – This chapter is basically one long sex scene! Don't like? Don't read. (Seriously though, is there anyone out there who clicks on an 'M' rated fanfic for anything but the sweet lemony goodness? XD)**

* * *

 **THIRTEEN**

Soft cotton sheets and the distinct smell of Archangel greeted me. For the first few moments of sluggish consciousness, it was heavenly… and then the predicted shame began to heat up my face. The taste of vomit and vodka had dried sour on my lips. The feel of sweat and days-old clothing made my skin crawl. With a groan, I ran a hand into matted hair to cradle a thudding headache.

"Good morning."

My heart skipped a beat. Eyes snapped open just as he turned on the bedside lamp. "Ah, fuck!" Blinding pain had me grasping my eyes in protest.

"Here…"

Something cold and damp was knocked against my hand. A glass of water. I rolled over just enough to be able to down it with all the enthusiasm of a desert hermit, then thrust the cup back at him. "More."

"'Why, Garrus, thank you so much! You're my hero.'" I heard the low rumbling chuckle of amusement, then the splash of pouring before the glass was offered back. "Have a good night?"

I drank the refill, discarded the tumbler on the side table, then turned to hide my face in his pillows. Archangel was exactly the last person I wanted to see me like this. In hindsight, sleeping in his bed was one of my stupider ideas.

His hands were on me, urging me up onto my feet. Strong as he was, I had little choice but to follow. Slowly, my eyes became accustomed to the light, and I realised I was being pushed towards the bathroom. Right. Another flush of humiliation coloured my face. Turian sense of smell was unforgiving. "Alright! I'm going!" I pulled out of his grip. "I don't need you to wash my sorry arse. Jeez." I slammed the bathroom door on him. "And no peeking, pervert!" As if he would. He was far too honourable for that kind of shit.

There was still a stagger in my step that I had to be careful of, but I managed to strip off and get under the hot spray of water. Slowly, my mind woke up… and then the rest of me. A cold panic settled in my gut alongside the shame. All the feelings I was so desperately trying to repress burst lose from their temporary cage and left me reeling like a woman in crisis. What the hell was I going to say to him? Could I get away with saying nothing at all? Just shrug it off as another part of the enigma that was my eccentricity? A snide inner voice was insisting I wasn't getting off that easy this time.

I took a longer shower than usual, telling myself it was because I was extra filthy and not because I was avoiding the sinfully handsome turian I could hear mulling about next door. Finally, when I'd run out of excuses, I shut off the water and reached for my clothes. I grimaced at the sorry, sweaty state of them and decided on a short, greying towel instead. I'd have to do the walk of shame across the hall to the dormitory for a fresh set.

Garrus was perched on the end of his bed when I emerged, his usual armour swapped for an unusually handsome tunic set of blue and black. Maybe turian fashion was finally figuring out how colours worked? He looked up when I came in, his eyes widening as he took in everything the pitiful towel couldn't cover. Specifically, long legs and shapely hips.

I avoided his direct gaze, feeling the skin-prickling jolt of nakedness for the first time in my life. "Yeah, yeah, I'm pink and squishy."

"Not… _that_ squishy…" he noted. Then, turning awkward, he looked away and coughed into his hand. "Y'know… as far as humans go."

My heart gave another feeble little leap. I rubbed at the back of my neck nervously, entirely lost as to what I was supposed to say or do. Definitely an unhappy first. The frustration of it burrowed under my skin. I wasn't this weak. I was a strong, takes-no-shit-badass!

"You feel better?" He asked, changing the subject abruptly.

I pursed my lips, embraced my anger and used it as a shield – the oldest trick in the book. "Yeah, well, it's your fault I got dead drunk in the first place."

"How'd you figure?" His brow plate arched in question.

"Sneaking off at all hours and coming back with knife wounds. Tsk!"

Archangel pushed himself up onto his feet, an annoying smirk hanging in his expression. "Aw, Maggie. I didn't know you cared."

Oh, he was all the cocky this evening! I narrowed my eyes to convey displeasure, even as my skin burned with want. "Yeah, well, your precious little gang are already suspicious of me. If you die, I'm the first one gonna get fingered… and not in a fun way."

His turian grin widened and he shook his head with silent laughter.

"Laugh it up. I'm serious! You know they cornered me for interrogation the other day?"

"Hey, easy." He raised his hands – talons – in surrender. "Don't worry, I'm not sneaking off anymore."

The jump in my chest went much higher this time. Something suspiciously like hope raised its unwelcome head. It swirled sickeningly with an echo of fear and threatened to make me vomit again. Had he… given up?

Archangel stooped to pick up something from his bed and toss it over to me. "For you."

I caught the offered gift in one hand, the other still busy holding up my towel. "Holy Christ!"

For several long seconds, I floundered, hardly believing that what I was looking at was real. A silver crucifix, stained red with blood, glinted at me from under the stark bedroom lighting. "This is…? It's not-"

Angel pointed to the space on his chest where it would have hung on its owner. "From around his neck. 'Father Daniels' won't be giving you any more grief."

My heartbeat was racing behind my ribs. I didn't know what to think. I didn't know what to feel. Numbness took over my body as the echo of adrenaline tried to keep me breathing. A sordid past of pain and trauma flashed through my eyes… and was shattered by a well-placed bullet from one hell of a sniper. I swallowed, trying to resurrect my voice into something more than a squeak. "How?"

Angel understood my meaning surprisingly well. He eyed me for a moment, deducing my motive for asking, I thought. "Slit his throat."

I looked up sharply. That wasn't his usual MO.

"Borrowed one of your knives." He gestured to the short blade abandoned on the desk next to my empty vodka from the night before. "Then I blew his damn ship to hell. Didn't want any of his followers picking up where he'd left off." With a shrug, he added, almost with pride, "It'll probably hit the headlines later." Silence fell. It lingered long and heavy enough that Archangel frowned and took a step towards me. "Maggie?"

"…You killed him…" The priest's face was laughing in front of my mind's eye, but there was an emptiness to the threat that hadn't been there before. Relief unlike any I'd ever felt gave a tremble to my knees. Shit…! "You really killed him."

Angel closed the space between us in two long strides. Hands reached out, grasping my arms and supporting my weight. "Yeah. I did. You okay?"

I abandoned my towel and reached for the back of his neck. Garrus bristled, ready to fight me off if he had to—

I touched my forehead to his, and he froze, wide-eyed shock mounting. I'd seen turians 'kiss' like this. Some of my clients had tried to introduce me to the custom, but it had always felt too intimate a gesture for a whore. But now – as I closed my eyes and let the gratitude overwhelm me – it wasn't enough. There was nothing in the galaxy that could communicate what he had done for me.

"Maggie…" His voice was rough on the edge. The sound sent a tremor of sensation over my skin. One of his talons caressed my arm and brushed along my jaw. I opened my eyes in time to see a flash of determination in his… and then he pressed mouth-plates to my lips.

Hesitant. Anxious. Curious, yet bold. Like the first kiss of a nervous teenager, but with all the passion of an erotic, interspecies vid. I let the crucifix fall to the floor in favour of slinging my arms around him. He tangled enthusiastic talons into my hair, as though he'd been desperate to feel the texture. A low groan purred through his chest before quickly becoming a decedent growl I was more than familiar with.

I rubbed my fingers into the scales behind his fringe. Welcoming. Consenting. Offering.

"Wait…" He tried to take a nervous step back. "Maggie, I didn't do this t—It wasn't about getting anything from you. You don't owe me a damn thing."

"Shut up." I kissed him again, pretty damn sure I'd die if he tried to back out on me now. "I'm not offering anything you couldn't have had any time you wanted."

Something about my words broke the last of Angel's control. I saw the flick in his gaze – the turn from chivalry to desire. The raw, primal nature of the turian people consumed his expression. All the deadly grace and strength I saw on the battlefield was channelled into a different conquest, and I was slammed against the wall. _God yes!_

He was still new to humans. There was a fumbling unease that found its way through all the stubborn determination I knew him capable of. He started at my neck, licking with a sandpaper tongue and nipping the way he would with a turian woman. I let out a gasp as he found the spot between my neck and shoulder that was particularly sensitive, then again when he found a similar place just below my ear that I hadn't even known existed. His body pressed tight over my own, and I was pinned beneath the predator. A thrill robbed me of breath. My head began to spin. Without my hand to hold the towel, the course fabric pulled free between our chests. The friction was bliss against my breasts for the moment before it fell, crumpling around my feet and leaving me naked against his clothes… _Archangel's clothes._

Toes curled against the tiled floor. Inner thighs itched. Fuck, he was a beautiful creature! The smell of him. The feel of his keen exploration. He was every inch the tactician, already mapping out my weak points and exploiting them. I nudged his talons towards my breast in subtle guidance, then threw my head back against the wall and moaned as he gently pinched and caressed. "Angel…!"

My brain had given up trying to rationalise or keep cool and had just shut down, leaving me with nothing but raw feelings I didn't dare name. Fuck! My eyes were wet. I went to work on his neck just to hide the emotion. He sussed me out. He always did. A talon in my hair pulled, forcing me back so he could press his forehead against mine and lock gaze with me.

And then I was being pulled away from the wall. Archangel backed up towards the bed with clumsy, fevered steps. He sat on the edge, and I was dragged down onto his lap. A hitch in his duel-tone and the tenting in his restrictive turian-design trousers told me everything he was too embarrassed to admit. I could tease him. I could taunt him for emerging 'early', but from the sopping state of things between my own legs, that'd make me a hypocrite.

Angel grabbed my waist, taking a bruising hold every bit as eager as he'd been with my hair. I reached with both hands to free his length from his clothes. With an expert touch, I provoked him, showed him where to go… And then he was inside me. A single, brutal thrust from an over-eager turian not quite familiar enough to know that he was 'big' as far as my people were concerned. All air was knocked out of me. My body tensed up with the shock. Pain blossomed. I grabbed his shoulders, feeling the coarse texture of suit fabric under my clawing fingers.

He was as stunned as I was. I watched his electric eyes go round as he felt the narrow squeeze of my passage. The painfully _tight_ fit that he wouldn't get from the women of his species.

I touched my head to his again. I ran my hand along the underside of his jaw, soothing away the nervous fear that he'd hurt me more than I could take. I took another moment to adjust… then another for good measure, then... His grip on my waist tensed with the feel of the first slow roll of my hips. I took a hold on his wrists, gently reminding him to ease up the pressure before talons left cuts. Fingers jolted back, and he was rewarded with another grinding roll.

It was easy to find a rhythm – a slow, sensual kind I hadn't used in a long time, and that had far more meaning in it now than I'd ever been comfortable with. He let his head rest on my shoulder, his hands softly pulling me in and against him with every rotation. I held him close, my fingers dancing through the smaller, sensitive plates of his neck and fringe. God, he felt so _good_ … so deep and _thick_. I clenched my thighs against his waist and earned a groan of appreciation and a tentative lick of my breast.

It'd never been like this… Not even with Nihlas. It frightened me; the intensity of it… the cliché that would have made me groan with any other partner.

I kissed his face for attention. "Lean back. Let me ride you out."

Garrus blinked up at me, almost lost to his lust-fuelled haze. But he did as I asked. Both his hands gave up their grip on my waist to find purchase on the sheets behind him. A low growl escaped him as I took hold of his cowl and began to rise and fall with more fervour. His plates were positioned just right to rub me raw with every downward thrust. I let my head fall back – let him have that tantalising view of an unmarked throat he couldn't quite reach in his current position. Then I shut my eyes and just felt him: the texture of his clothes under my skin and the feel of him thrusting so deep. The rush of pleasure rippling through my body… the stupid thrill of knowing it was Archangel I was with.

I teetered on the edge of orgasm and made extra effort to roll my hips and squeeze him tight. I wanted – needed – to pull him crashing over the edge with me; to be the best damn fuck of his life. I listened for the tell-tale hitch in his breath and the sudden desperation in his erratic movements… Then I did something I'd been sure I'd never do for any turian. I leaned in and let my teeth close around his neck. Hard enough to sting. Not hard enough to leave even a bruise.

Archangel came undone. I felt him break under my hands and had the pleasure of riding him all the way through it until he was a quivering mess beneath me. I freed a hand from his cowl and reached down to give myself that final push. He watched with half-closed eyes as I came for him, shuddering, gasping and cursing out his names.

I fell against him when I was done – when I was as broken and messed up as he was. I pressed my head against his shoulder and felt fresh wetness in my eyes as he nuzzled close and combed his talons through my hair in unmistakable affection. He let out a soft trilling sound that struck straight through every feeble defence I had left… and I finally admitted… I'd made a terrible miscalculation.


	14. Chapter 14

**AN: Everyone loves lemony goodness, it seems! I musta done something right!** **Seriously, though, thanks so much to everyone who left me feedback, an artist is always pleased to hear their work is appreciated. ;)** **I actually did a little fluffy illustration to go with the last chapter but didn't get it finished in time, so if anyone is interested, find me on Facebook, Instagram or DeviantArt and take a look.**

* * *

 **FOURTEEN**

I didn't want to separate our bodies, let alone get up and continue my walk of shame down the hall in search of clothes – where no doubt every one of his companions with a half-decent sense of smell would know. So, I didn't make any protest when he rolled us over and onto the bed. Nor did I stop him from taking top and coaxing my body into a second round of blissful play. I let him have whatever he wanted of me, and treasured every moment of teaching him about the joys of cross-species intercourse. Eventually, even he – Mr I-have-as-much-stamina-in-the-bedroom-as-I-do-in-a-firefight – had to admit exhaustion. He collapsed beside me, his head propped on his mountain of pillows.

I crawled up to lay against him and rested my head on his shoulder, my leg slung over his narrow waist. "I'm definitely gonna feel this later."

"Sorry…"

I blinked a few times, not quite believing I'd heard what I'd heard. "Apologise again, I dare you."

A rumbling chuckle reverberated through his chest. "Glad to know my romantic er… _skills_ … have made an impression."'

"For a human virgin, they made one hell of an impression." I lifted my head just enough to send him an accusing glare. "You've been peeking at Monty's Fornax collection, haven't you? Come on, fess up!"

"I…ah…"

"Aha!" With a triumphant smile, I pressed a finger to his nose. "Gotcha! 'Not into humans' huh? You bullshitter."

"I wasn't," he protested. "But you made a pass and… it got me thinking…" I felt heat come to his neck and watched as the softer skin around his plates darkened. "…a lot, actually." He looked towards me, unafraid of meeting my eye. "About a lot of things."

A weight settled in the air between us. I looked away, the intensity of his gaze utterly unbearable. I guess that made me the coward. He was reaching for me. His hand came dangerously close to my cheek. I spun around, even went as far as getting out of bed to avoid his touch. "I should get another shower."

"Maggie…" Archangel sat up and pulled the blanket into his lap.

A glint of silver caught my eye, derailing my rush to retreat. I bent down and collected the blood-stained crucifix from the tiles. "You really killed him…" It was finally starting to sink in. I felt a cage door being swung open only to wonder if I had the strength to actually walk out. I'd been running for so long it had become part of who I was… What was I supposed to do now?

My hesitation cost me my hasty exit. I felt the turian approach. His presence paused just behind me. Talons reached to rest and grip against my shoulders. "I… can't imagine what it's been like for you—"

"Don't!" I yanked free of him and turned, a sudden spike of terror making me feel sick. Sympathy was the last thing I wanted from him. "The only people that pity me are the ones that have somehow managed to get close to me. My enemies know that, Archangel! They'll see it in you, and they'll use you to get to me!"

He was quiet for an unnervingly long moment. His expression was calculating, thoughtful… with the same determination as when he was looking over a tactical map and planning his attack. Then there came quiet triumph. Archangel straightened his back, his eyes flashing as he gazed at me with all the scrutiny of a c-sec officer who'd just got a big break in his dead-end case. "I understand."

No. That was worse. People didn't 'understand' me. They'd have to know me better than I knew myself to pull off that miracle. "Fuck you, Vakarian." I turned and stormed back into the bathroom. "Go to hell and take your 'understanding' with you!"

He didn't say anything. He didn't call me back to scold me or beg forgiveness. He just watched as I retreated. Oh yeah… I'd definitely fucked up.

* * *

It'd probably surprise no one, but I didn't do 'relationships'. Hell, a person was lucky just to get a free ride out of me. So, this 'thing' with Archangel? I didn't know what to do with that. The bastard haunted my every conscious and unconscious moment. If I wasn't having hot and sweaty dreams about him, I was avoiding his bony arse with every trick I'd ever learned. 'Course, avoiding him in his own HQ was ambitious even for me, but there was literally nowhere else to go. Infuriatingly – inconveniently – I found I'd completely lost my appetite for anyone else. I'd turned down so many appointments my clientele was starting to get edgy, and worse, I was running out of booze money. Without hard liquor to drown my Archangel-shaped problems in, they were only getting more dangerous.

The man himself strolled into the dorm. "Maggie, have you seen Monty? Er… What are you doing?"

I rolled my eyes. Of course, he'd pick _now_ to catch up with me… right when I was on all fours, arse in the air, shoulders almost touching the ground. Throwing him a death glare, I shoved my storage box right against the wall under my bunk. "None of your God damned business!" I straightened up and ran a hand through my wild pink and red locks. Angel watched me with a predatory eye, and I remembered belatedly how much he appreciated the texture of my hair. Clearing my throat awkwardly, I stuffed my hands into my pockets instead. "Haven't seen him. Why?"

Archangel shook himself from whatever dirty thoughts were tangoing through his mind and jabbed his thumb over his shoulder. "Got an Eclipse shipment to get in the way of. You want to come?"

"I've got somewhere to be." The claim rushed out too fast to be genuine. He opened his mouth, ready to quiz me on my plans I was sure. To my fortune, Monty chose that moment to appear in the doorway.

"There you are. Come on, those shipments ain't gonna sit around all night."

"Yeah… right." Archangel turned and followed the human out into the corridor. He waited until he thought I was out of earshot then mumbled, "Hey, you know what she keeps under there?"

"Under her bunk? Storage box full of all kinds of crazy shit." Monty was less careful with his volume. "Nothing valuable. OSD's. Broken tech. I saw her putting a silver crucifix in there a little while back. I'm guessin' it's trophies…" His rambling trailed off as he and Archangel left HQ. I grit my teeth with fury. He'd been rummaging? Little shit! Now I needed somewhere else to hide my box!

Ducking under the bunk again, I retrieved it. Probably used to have shoes in it or something equally useless. It was made of rough, battered metal and had a flimsy lock on the front. Tucking it under my arm, I glanced out into the corridor, even peeked over the bannister to be sure everyone was busy, before darting down the hall to Archangel's room. I leaned over his preferred side of the bed and hid the box under the headboard.

It wasn't 'trophies'. I pursed my lips with resentment at Monty's choice of term. It was 'mementoes'. Completely different. The few, tiny fragments of my life that I didn't want to forget… the moments that made the shit worth fighting through. They didn't come around often, so I clung to each and every one. Stupid really. A sentimental weakness… But I couldn't get rid of my box any more than I could stop wanting to fuck Archangel.

The door chime sounded. I rolled over just in time to make it look like I was lounging on Archangel's bed before Sid let himself in. "You just missed him."

"I know. I was looking for you, actually." He cocked his head in curiosity. "What are you doing in here?"

"Taking advantage of the only comfy bed in the entire apartment. What do you want, Sid?"

My answer was apparently satisfactory. He leaned on the door frame with as much casual as he could muster while blatantly nervous. "I… came into some credits. Thought, maybe, you might want to come to the Citadel with me. You know… on a holiday or something."

I arched a dubious eyebrow. "A holiday? Wasn't the Citadel your dream home?"

"Well, yeah, I'd stay. But I can get you a return ticket if that's what you wanted."

I sat up and crossed my legs, surprise etching into my expression. "You buggering off, Sid? For good?"

He shrugged with forced calm. "I have a chance to go home, Maggie. Back to my family… back to the life I left behind. I gotta take it."

I frowned, my stomach surprising me when it dropped a few inches. Was I going to miss him? No way I was ever admitting to that. Maybe I was just offended that he wanted to leave so badly…? No. I couldn't blame him. Sid wasn't really Omega trash, more a washed-up shipwreck. Like all the marooned, he was sitting out each day praying for rescue. "I guess…" I heaved a sigh and rolled my eyes at my own sentiment. Archangel really was a shitty influence. "And I suppose I might miss you… a smidge."

His mandibles fluttered with a turian smile.

"Don't let it go to your head."

"No, no. I know. You'll only bash it out again if it did." He rubbed his forehead plate in painful memory. "So… er. You in?" He shifted around, twisting his talons together nervously. Little coward.

"When?"

"Tomorrow night. The midnight shuttle…"

I snorted in amusement. "You're not even gonna say goodbye, are you?"

His smile turned uneasy. "I don't do goodbye too well. Figure it'll be better this way. But… I could really use the company. Just till I get settled back on the Citadel."

Yeah, that sounded like him. I lounged back against Archangels pillows, taunting him with a smile. "You're too chicken shit to travel alone? You really are a coward, Sid."

He didn't deny it. In fact, he just shrugged it off with another 'yes, ma'am'. "Come on, Maggie. Please. You can't spend your whole life on this rock. What have you got to lose?"

I looked away and found myself staring at the gun case for Archangel's beloved sniper rifle. Cold frustration took residence in my chest. I scowled. Why the hell not? Daniel's and his cult were dead. There was no reason to stay so hidden anymore. Nihlus had talked up a storm about the Citadel. He'd made me want to see the Presidium, just once if I could… to take a walk through a park where it was always sunny and beautiful. "…Alright."

Sid's face lit up with enthusiasm. "Really?"

"Yeah. But just a vacation. And I'm not sleeping with you any."

"No! Of course not. It'll be great!" He relaxed enough to let his shoulders slump, a stupid turian grin still flashing his sharp teeth. "Thanks, Maggie. I really appreciate it."

"Yeah, yeah. I'll meet you at the transport hub tomorrow. Midnight, yeah?"

"Yeah. And… hey. Please don't tell the others? I don't want to kick up a fuss about going."

I waved him off. "Sure, sure. You better get packing. You've got a shit-ton of stuff in your locker." He darted out, leaving me alone with Archangel's scent. A sense of foreboding had settled in my gut that I refused to acknowledge had anything to do with the vigilante or leaving him alone for a couple of weeks. He was a big boy. He'd proven he could take Omega by the scruff of the neck and slap her around a bit… that was kind of the problem. I turned over and rested into his pillows. I was just nervous about travelling for the first time. That was all.


	15. Chapter 15

**AN: Another smutty chapter! Yaay! This one is quite a bit rougher than any that I've done here so far, but rest assured, Maggie can take it ;)**

 **FIFTEEN**

I didn't mean to fall asleep. Nightmares didn't exactly make my nap restful either. I woke to the feel of a taloned hand running along my calf, and an ominous fear still clinging to my bones. It put me on edge.

"Hey…" Archangel's tone was far too gentle to be comfortable. "I thought you were avoiding me."

"I was… _am_." I shook off his touch and shied away with a deep frown. Shreds of my nightmare latched onto the sight of his face.

Mandibles clamped tight, the turian equivalent to irritable, thinned lips. "Look, Maggie… I don't want things to be weird between us-"

"That ship has fucking sailed." I got up, ready to make a hasty exit.

"Well, can we talk about it at least?"

"Watching me beat the shit outta Sid hasn't taught you anything?"

"If I recall, you charged Sidonis for the sex." He gave me a stubborn, confident look that I adored as much as I despised. "I haven't had my bill yet…" The soft, rolling sub-tones tried to suggest a joke that was completely at odds with his expression.

Well, fine, if that was how he wanted to play it… I folded my arms over my chest and set him with a glare and a smirk. "Far as I'm concerned you paid in blood and silver, Sugar Daddy."

"That's not what you said at the time." He'd stopped pulling his punches. Gone was all the blushing awkwardness that I'd despised. Archangel was calling me out, demanding the truth like the bad cop c-sec officer he once was. A trickle of my unease hardened into very real fear. Fuck. I really needed to be more careful what I wished for. "You said I wasn't 'taking anything I couldn't have had at any time I wanted'." He took a confident step towards me, hand reaching for my face again…

I was paralysed, unable to run. My head screamed in terror. My heart begged through tears. I thought I might burst with the war going on inside – just combust, a victim of my own inner flames. All my defences slammed up, and with a cruel grin, I used the only weapon I had left in my arsenal to sabotage the last, feeble hope. "So that's what this is about, huh? Got yourself hooked on human pussy and now you're lookin' to cash in on something I said to turn you on?"

Archangel froze, his blue eyes going wide, his expression hardening in shock. Whether it was the vulgarity of my words or the menacing way I'd said it that upset him most, I wasn't sure.

I rolled out a shrug. "Fine, fine. Never let it be said I'm not a woman of my word. Go ahead. Fuck me however you like, Big Guy. I'm game."

"That's not—"

"—No? You sure?" My heart was breaking. I ignored the agony and ran fingers along the edge of my collarbone, drawing his gaze to the long expanse of my neck. "Shame. Business has been pretty slow lately, so I'm wound _tight_. I could use a good turian lay." I sauntered towards him, closing the last space between us and reaching to brace my hand against his chest. He was in his armour today. I sent out a pulse of heat, letting the cold metal warm under my touch – just enough that he would feel it seeping into his skin with invitation. "I love how turian men feel between my thighs. Your skin is rougher than a human. I get _so_ chafed up, in so many places, I can't think of anything else for a week. 'Course, your big turian cock helps with that. Human boys don't have ridges, y'know? And they sure as hell don't come that… _thick_."

He swallowed hard. Teeth grit behind flattened mandibles. "Maggie…" The resonating sub-tone that rolled against my bones was a warning. Back the hell off or face the music.

"You know what I love best about your people?" I went on mercilessly. "The raw power. That primal energy you keep locked away behind a mask of civility and duty. That _beastly_ lust that makes a turian man just _take_ what he wants; that fucks and dominates the way no human ever could." I cast daring eyes up at him. "So, if you're interested, you let me know, and I'll clear my schedule. If not…? Well, I'm sure Grizz down at Afterlife can keep me satisfied. He usually gets the job done."

What was primal in turian nature was also possessive, arrogant and proud. Any whore worth her salt knew that… and Archangel was definitely the 'alpha' type, no matter how he tried to pretend otherwise. I saw my words enrage him. I saw that infamous self-control snap, and finally, I got my wish. Talons fastened around my shoulders and yanked me close for a blistering kiss that –

My eyes widened in shock as his rough tongue plundered my mouth with skill I hadn't taught him. I was backed against the wall, his stronger leg slotting between mine and lifting in such a way that I forced me onto my tiptoes and left me hanging at his mercy. Shocks of sensation rippled through my body. I clawed at his shoulders in desperation.

My heart jolted as Archangel called my every bluff. But I'd realised my mistake far too late. My head fell back, and my eyes fluttered closed as the bastard drew fang-like teeth against my neck with thrilling threat. Archangel – the master tactician – was happy to remind me why he was the only vigilante to survive Omega's fury… Taloned hands scraped their way under my clothes to grasp my breasts. Sharp fingers scraped over nipples. I gasped and turned my head, forced to break for air… Because he stripped down his opponent's defences before going in for the kill.

Well, I wasn't going down without a fight! Quick hands found the clasps to his armour and snapped them open. Archangel was happy to shrug them off, allowing the chest piece to clatter to the floor with a loud thud. Unzipping the undersuit, I slipped my fingers inside and trailed a hot touch between his plates. He let out a gasp, and I took the opportunity to shove him away from me.

Garrus paused, apparently still civil enough to stop himself when there came a question of consent.

With a taunting smile, I circled him. I reached for the hem of my shirt and pulled it up over my head as I closed in on the bed. "What's the matter? Still too much of a good boy to give it to me?" I ran my hands down my neck, over my breasts and waist to undo my trousers. "Don't you think I deserve it? Haven't I been a _bad girl_? Come on, Archangel, dispense some justice already."

I'd never seen a soldier discard his armour so quickly – or so gracefully. He strode over to me in two deadly strides and took a harsh – bruising – grip on my waist. He leaned in, and I braced myself, expecting another of those blistering kisses. But he stopped short, just close enough that his breath caressed my lips. "I know what you're doing."

My heart plummeted. Bravado deserted me, and in five short words, I was stripped defenceless and made painfully vulnerable. "…Garrus…" If he heard the quiver in my tone, he was too far gone to give a damn. I was turned abruptly and thrown against the bed. A cry of alarm escaped me, a noise that turned to an outright shout when a taloned finger was thrust into my body. I tried to jolt away, but Archangel had braced his other hand between my shoulders, keeping me pinned. His other talon was added, and I cried out again. He was courteous enough to have filed them down, but the shock remained. Thrill still shot through my body to pool like liquid fire between my legs. Toes scraped, searching for purchase on the tiled floor I could only just reach and push my hips upwards an inch – enough to alleviate the pressure of his _long_ fingers. I managed it, but my legs threatened to cramp with every punishing thrust of his hand.

I grit my teeth against the onslaught of sensation. "Most people start with a spanking."

He lifted his hand from my shoulders just long enough to bring down a bruising strike on my rear.

"Smart arse."

He quickened his thrusting and crooked his fingers. My hands gripped his sheets as needy pressure built with humiliating ease. I had to close my eyes. I had to use every ounce of self-control to ride out the brutal pleasure he inflicted on my body. It was almost painful. Almost too much. But it was Archangel, and that alone made it blissful torture. My heart shuddered behind my ribs. Pride started to crack against need – the need for something _else_. "…Garrus… _please_."

By God's grace, I hadn't yet robbed him of a sense of mercy. His hand withdrew, and I flushed with humiliation as he paused to wipe his digits clean of wetness. I tried to get up – maybe turn over – but he was back before I could manage it, his hand shoving my face into the bed. A knee was braced beside me. A hold was taken on my hips, and I was pulled up so far I had to tuck my legs under myself to reach the height he wanted. He gave me a warning, a few gentle nudges and a slower penetration… but I still grit my teeth and let out a wail that echoed against the walls. Sensitive as I'd been left by his idea of foreplay, the tight fit of his ridged length was a sinful agony. Fuck! I'd taken it from behind more times that I could count, but this was different… This was real. There was no masquerade, no manipulation, and not a shred of control left for me to claim. I gasped his name, tears coming to my eyes as I was forced, in every way, to submit and _feel_. Feel the sheer power I'd coveted as he gave me the best pounding of my life. Feel the texture of the undersuit he still hadn't properly taken off as his hips snapped against mine. Feel the way my pride – broken and full of regret – sat huddled in the corner, exposing every festering wound on my psyche.

Talons ran through my hair, admiring the texture, before taking a firm grip and pulling me up onto my hands. I cried out his name and a plea. "Don't stop! _Fuck_!" The change in angle had him hitting just the right spot. His hand slid from my hair and reached around to take a grip on my jaw instead. My head was pulled aside so that he could lean in and nip sharp turian kisses into my neck. I was shouting nonsense. Intermittent please and thank you. Abuse and praise. Then nothing but whining and growling… and all through it, he was all but silent. I could hear his breathing. A few low grunts of force. An ongoing, sub-tone growl that betrayed his passion and danced from his chest over the skin of my back.

He paused for half a moment, just long enough to shove me further onto the bed and knock my knees out from under me so I was flat on my stomach. My legs were pulled wide, and then he was crawling on top and pushing in again. His hand slipped beneath me, finding my clit and rolling against it. A few short, heavy thrusts and I broke. The world spun out from under me as pleasure crashed through my body. Every muscle tensed for half an eternity. I struggled to breathe. Head spun. Burning pain in the back of my neck, and then euphoria as everything drained out. All the tension. All the agony. All the misery. Gone. I was numb… and utterly shattered.

Archangel was still hard. I felt his lingering potency as he pulled out and rolled me over onto my back. I squinted in the harsh light, my head still circling as he slipped back into me and rocked himself in and out of my body with slow, languid strokes that sent rippling aftershocks of pleasure over my skin. I gripped his cowl. He pulled my legs around his waist and slid his arms under my shoulders with an unmistakable embrace. Forehead touched mine…and there… in those steel blues, I found that 'something else' I needed. Something I didn't have a name for, nor much of an understanding of… but that was mine… and as necessary as breathing.

He didn't say it. I didn't either. I just ran my hand over his face and along his fringe. Legs tightened around his waist, and I watched as his eyes rolled shut and pleasure consumed him. The pitch of his growl softened a fraction, the volume rising and ringing through my ears… and then his head was resting against my shoulder, his chest pressing uncomfortably hard and angular against mine. But I wouldn't have moved him for the world. Instead, I ran a feather-light touch against the plates on the back of his neck and gasped for every shuddering breath. My face was wet. Sweat and _tears._ Real ones.

It took him a long moment to recover himself. When he lifted his head, his brow plates furrowed, and his thumb reached to wipe the moisture from around my eyes. "Maggie—"

"—Don't!" I reached, feeling the coarse texture of his face and searching his blue eyes for mercy. "I'm sorry."

He rolled onto his side, rescuing me from the sharp weight of his body, but pulling me to drape against him instead. I wrapped my arms around his narrow waist and hid my eyes against the crook of his cowl. He nuzzled the top of my head, and I felt him take deep inhalations of my hair. For once in my sorry life, I was ok with it.


	16. Chapter 16

**SIXTEEN**

It was weird how okay I was with waking up next to Garrus. At some point in the night, I'd turned over, and he'd curled around my back – a warm and oddly comfortable 'big spoon' for so spikey a guy. His face was, of course, buried into my hair and he was letting out a sweet little trilling noise that he would no doubt deny completely once awake. Still, a small smile came over me as I imagined confronting him about it.

I was tempted to linger until Archangel woke up, but hunger – and the smell of cooking food downstairs – persuaded me to untangle myself from our illustrious leader, find my clothes, and silently excuse myself.

"What's for breakfast?" I yawned as I descended towards the lounge, combing a hand through my tousled hair to drag it back from my face.

Conversations stopped abruptly. Several pairs of eyes turned my way and stared. In my sleepy state, I looked down to check I'd put on trousers. Yup. All clothes accounted for.

The team gathered below seemed to express a range of emotions: from knowing smirks to disgruntled disgust and even some envy. My stomach sank as I finally caught up to the joke. With a tut and a roll of my eyes, I made my way to the kitchenette. "Yes, I'm fucking the boss. Big whoop. Go back to your lives people." The toaster popped, and I snagged the fresh toast.

"Hey!" Monty protested.

I paralysed him with a challenging glare. " _I shared the bacon_."

"God damn it!" He scowled but dropped his argument and went about fishing out the bread bag for more slices.

Dropping my stolen breakfast onto a plate, I took it over to the table and perched next to Melenis. "What's with all the shock and horror? Does Archangel not score very often?"

"If he does, he's discreet about it…" The asari gave a blushing smile.

"Uh-huh." Taking up the knife, I started to slather butter onto the hot bread. "Tousled hair and morning breath give me away?"

"And the screaming, cursing, and pleading…" She cast shy eyes towards me. "The whole district was treated to a truly operatic performance."

The knife stilled against the toast. Heat blossomed in my face. _Shit_.

Melenis's giggle was irritatingly high-pitched. "Relax! I'm pleased for you both. We all deserve a little happiness in our lives, right?"

"Shut up, Mel."

The asari had grown somewhat immune to my temper and simply smiled as she picked up her cereal and retreated to the couch.

I tried to finish spreading the butter but ended up slamming the knife back to the table in frustration. What the hell was wrong with me? Discretion was rule one in the whoring manual. When did I get cut down from professional to 'noisy amateur'? It was Archangel's fault… as always.

To make my souring mood worse, Sid approached with a face full of thunder. "You said you weren't sleeping together!" He somehow managed to perfect whining while angry.

The tone grated on my already frayed nerves. "Who I fuck is really none of your business, Sid."

"Do you make him pay you too? He doesn't seem the type to go for that—"

"—Go to hell." I abandoned my stolen food and tried to storm off.

The turian made the fatal mistake of grabbing my upper arm. "So, you won't fuck me without credits, but you'll do my boss? Why? Is someone paying you to get close to him?"

I felt the snap. An inferno of rage burst through my blood and heated my skin so much Sid snatched his hand back. It was too little too late. I grabbed his cowl and throwing all my weight against him, I slammed his face against the breakfast table. Crockery clinked in protest. Sid cried out in alarm as I pinned him in place.

"You _really_ wanna know the truth, Sid? Why him and not you?" I hissed each syllable through grit teeth. "He's got a brain not bashed out on drugs and a spine that lets him stand up straight when he talks to me. He treats me like an equal and never questions what I chose to tell him and what I decide to keep secret." I lifted him and threw him against the table again for good measure. Sid winced as his faceplate bashed into metal, but he didn't dare try and fight me off. "He's twice the turian you are, and that's why he's in charge, and you're nothing but a stupid lacky, following him around with big puppy eyes foolishly hoping I might love you instead of him! Well, you're shit outta luck, mister."

"You love him?" Sid's voice was a croak under the pressure on his back. His mandibles pulled tight, and one angry eye peered up at me from his awkward position.

I hadn't realised my own phrasing until he threw it back at me. My stomach dropped. For a long moment, I just held him, my mind buzzing.

"You do…" he rasped. "You're in love with him."

"Shut up!" I shoved down on his back, then threw myself away from him in disgust.

Sid straightened up, his talons going to his own neck and rubbing the bruised skin. "What? You can't admit it to yourself, but you can use it against me? Who's the fucking coward now?"

"You have _no_ idea what you're talking about," I snarled.

"No… No! I think for the first time I do." An accusing talon was pointed at me. "I thought you were strong, but you're just a scared little girl. You're so fucked up, you're not even worth trying to put back together!"

The words cut deeper than even he had intended, and far too close to everything Garrus had left vulnerable the night before. My fist flew before I knew I'd moved, and I struck him straight across the jaw. It was clumsy but effective. I bruised my knuckles against the sharper edge of his mandible, but he stumbled away with blue blood trickling from between his sharp teeth. I grabbed the front of his shirt and pushed him up against the nearest wall. "Go the citadel yourself," I hissed into his face. "I hope you rot there!"

* * *

It was ironic. If Sid had shown a hint of the kind of daring he had this morning, he might have been marginally more interesting when we first met. It was one of many angry thoughts that circled my head as I kicked my way through the nastiest back alleys of Omega. I must have been looking for a more satisfying fight. I certainly needed something. I was wound too tight. Every muscle itched and burned – undoing all of Garrus's hard work. Unfortunately for me, even the Vorcha seemed to keep a wary distance. My fists had been clenched so long I was getting bruises on my palms. Fuck Sid. Fuck Archangel. Screw the multicultural lot of them!

It was still early when I found my way to Afterlife, but that had never stopped me. I slunk down to the lower bar, perched on a stool and ordered the strongest thing on the lunchtime menu. Slouching on the grimy countertop, I stewed in the piss that Aria called booze and mourned my old, simple life. The one where Archangel and is little army didn't exist, and my only desire was for booze and cigarettes. But then… Daniel's wouldn't be dead, and I could well have found myself back in his clutches. I heaved a burdened sigh and gazed down into the amber liquid. If nothing was free, then I guessed falling for Garrus was the price.

I couldn't pretend anymore. I was done lying and making excuses for myself. I threw back another mouthful of liquor and cursed myself for being the idiot that I was. Falling in love? _Really_? Hadn't I learned my lesson? Love was lethal. It gave enemies too much power to risk caring about someone… and between the two of us, Archangel and I had a bloody long list of enemies.

I ran my fingers into my hair and let out an anguished moan. The cold confession tore through me like a rabid beast. My guts twisted and ached. I wanted to throw up… I stared down at my glass accusingly… Or maybe it was the booze? I'd heard rumours one of the bartenders down here was a bigot. Well, whatever. I was beyond caring.

Tipping back the last of my drink, I waved my hand to order another. The batarian stared at me like I'd sprouted two heads. Great. So, he was poisoning me. Fate sure loved to kick me while I was down! I drew out my pistol and shot the guy square in the chest. "No tips for you, Buddy." I slammed the weapon down on the countertop and waved the other bartender over.

The salarian glanced down at the corpse in terror, then, carefully stepped over his former co-worker to serve my drink with shaking hands. Clever man.

"Wow, you must be having a shitter of a day…" A handsome barefaced turian sidled up to me.

"Not interested. Fuck off." I threw back my new drink and snatched the bottle from the bartender before he could retreat to a safe distance.

A sharp hand ran along my arm in a coaxing caress. "Come on, baby. There's better ways to work off stress than alcohol." His talons moved up to brush my hair back and over my shoulder, and, for half a second, he paused.

His distraction cost him. I grabbed his arm and threw him down against the bar. My hand fastened against his neck, pushing him down at an angle painful for any creature with a carapace and fringe. "Maybe you didn't hear me. I said, 'fuck off!'."

"I'm sorry!" he protested, squirming against my hold on him and trying to right himself. It reminded me of watching a turtle caught on it's back. "I didn't see your mark. You're taken, I get it!"

A shot of cold dread dropped in my stomach. "What the hell are you blabbering about?"

"Your mark…?" His brow plates rose in confusion. "On the back of your neck? It's how turian's stake a claim."

Dread morphed into wild rage. I released his neck only to kick him in the stomach. The turian did a full one-eighty to double over, and I brought a blow down on the back of his head. The man crumpled in front of my feet, unconscious.

Grizz was already making his way over, gun drawn as always. "Maggie…? Aria says, 'drink without killing the other patrons or fuck off'."

I shrugged my top back into place and snatched up the stolen bottle. "Yeah, well… her booze is hardly worth paying for anyway." I took a deep swig then tossed it back down onto the bar, hurtling a final glare at him before making for the lower exit.

I made it into the back alleys before my stomach insisted on emptying into the gutter. The vomit smelled foul and was tinged with blood. Oh yeah, I'd definitely been poisoned. I retched until there was nothing left then tried to stand and make my way somewhere relatively safe. But my vision was blurred. I felt a heavy fever come over me and let out a curse as my legs gave way. My head hit the pavement, and the world went dark.

* * *

I was in hell. My head felt as though a krogan had been stomping on it. My stomach was full of acid and razor blades. With a groan, I curled myself up, wishing for the cramps to subside… But it was no good. I coughed and heaved—

"Into the bucket. Thanks." A metal pan was thrust close to my face. I grabbed it in time to throw up a mix of bile and blood that left a foul taste on my tongue. Brilliant. "Here. It's from that salarian doctor down in the slums." A small pack of pills was offered from a turian hand.

I wiped cold sweat off my brow and gave a small, careful sniff. Not Garrus… Not any turian I knew intimately. The bed in which I lay was overly fluffy – as most turian beds were – and smelled of cheap detergent. "What do you want from me?" My voice emerged like the croak of a toad. I certainly felt slimy enough for the part.

"Nothing."

"Bullshit. Everyone wants something."

"I work for Aria…" The hand moved as the turian shrugged. "She'd be pissed if you died on her."

I dared to look up from my bucket to find the face of my rescuer. I recognised him after all. "Gavorn?"

"You want these or not?" He waved the pills under my nose again.

I snatched them from his hand and squinted at the label. Something about an anti-inflammatory. "Thanks." I'd never spoken to Gavorn, but I knew of him. He had a reputation of being good at his job, but if he weren't so good with his gun, he'd probably be one of those 'nice guys' that Omega swallowed whole. How he ended up in this shithole, I'd never been curious enough to find out. Maybe the lack of face paint had something to do with it? Were turian's outside Omega even still edgy about that?

Gavorn waited till I'd popped the recommended dose before offering me a glass of water. "Here."

I lifted the tumbler towards him, "Cheers," and swallowed the pills with a grimace. "I suppose you want me to fuck you now?"

The young Captain gave a snort of amusement. "I'd be crazy to get my scent on a marked woman. Besides… you're not really my type."

"Suit yourself. What are you after then?"

"Aria already picked up your bill."

I leaned back against his pillows and sipped a little more water. "Lucky me." The mob mistress had probably already compiled a list of errands for me to run as 'community service' for starting fights in her bar. Ah well, maybe it was a good thing. It'd certainly keep me out of Archangel's way for a while – maybe until this damn bite healed. Perhaps Mordin could give me something to make sure it didn't scar…

My stomach knotted. And not because of the lingering poison. Thinking of Archangel – of what we'd done last night – set off a whole mess of tangled emotions that tried to choke me. "Shit…" There was no running from this. Even if the scar healed, what was I gonna do? Avoid him for the rest of my sorry life? It wasn't like Omega was brimming with places to go and things to do.

"I hear you've been working for Archangel lately…" Gavorn took the liberty of perching on the edge of the bed next to me.

"Great, you reading my mind now?"

The turian let out another scoff. "Nah. It's his scent all over you, and that mark is fresh. Doesn't take a genius to figure out what's keeping you so quiet." He leaned his arms against his knees. "He does good work. Maybe a bit suicidal… Less since you started hanging out with him though." Another short laugh. "He keeps up the way he's going, and he's gonna put me out of business."

"You could always join up with him." I was only half joking. In fact, I was pretty sure Archangel would be thrilled to have a useful turian around, especially now that Sid had left.

"Monty thinks I should." But Gavorn shook his head with an affectionate smile. "For now, I'm more use to everyone on Aria's payroll."

"Monty…?" I scoffed as the realisation dawned on me. "Figures. You're where he keeps getting his hints and tips from then?"

"Not always. He's good at what he does."

"Uh-huh. You know he keeps turian porn under his bunk, right?"

Gavorn's grin widened to flash his sharp teeth. Mischief clouded his gaze. "Hey, some of those were expensive."

"Riight…" I set the now empty glass on his bedside table and swung my legs over the edge of his bed. My boots were already lined up waiting for me. "I gotta jet. Got a presumptuous dickhead to deck." I leaned down to do up my buckles then cast Gavorn a cautious glance. I still expected him to announce some favour he wanted from me… but the Captain just sat there, watching me get ready to leave. "… I guess I'll see you around."

"Sure."

"And… thanks…"

His mandibles swayed open then shut again. "Tell Monty I'll see him tomorrow… if he's not busy shooting the place up."


	17. Chapter 17

**SEVENTEEN**

I dragged my feet all the way back to Archangels HQ. The cramps from the poison were finally letting up, but I still felt ready to hurl and tired enough to sleep for a month. I tried to figure out what I was going to say when I arrived. What did I want to say? Staking a claim… it was a big deal. For a turian, it was like asking for marriage. Though, I was pretty sure Archangel hadn't meant it quite so permanently. He was probably just making his point in the only way he knew I'd acknowledge… but still, I hadn't thought anyone would ever be man enough to want to try and put up with my bullshit long term. I found myself rubbing the back of my neck, feeling around the scabbed and bruised skin.

I arrived at the front door, and with a heavy sigh, I let myself in. I'd missed dinner. Eresh, the batarian, was sitting at the table with his tech and tools strewn over it. Mierin restocked the medkits in the kitchen and Krul was sitting on the couch, moaning and whining as Melenis stood behind him, fixing up some gunshot wound he'd taken to the shoulder. Monty sat opposite, teasing him for being a 'big baby'. I could hear the revelry of a drunken card game going on in the dorms upstairs. "Everyone's home to hear the drama. Oh goody." Pushing hands into my pockets I wondered in, trying to be as casual as possible. "Where's the boss?"

Melenis glanced up from her work with a sweet smile. "He's out. Got a tip about a Blood Pack guns run from Sid. They're meeting in the slums."

My brow furrowed. In my sluggish state, it took a few seconds to figure out why my every internal alarm bell I had was going off. With a jolt of panic, I checked the date and time on my omni-tool. "That can't be right…" My clock was bugged… Or maybe I'd misheard Sid's travel plans?

Melenis glanced at me with a curious arch of her brow. "What's not right?"

I tried to place a call to Sid. It didn't go through. I messaged him... it failed to deliver. His omni-tool was listed as 'no longer in service'. My heart began to thunder behind my ribs, and I tried to call Archangel instead. But the slums always had shitty service. Especially in the lower back alleys the Blood Pack were infamous for using.

"Maggie?" Melenis had sensed something of my panic. It alarmed her enough that she paused fixing up the krogan to step towards me.

I looked up, my eyes meeting hers. In that fateful moment, she seemed to see everything and know. All the pieces fell into place. All the little tell-tale signs I should have picked up on. "It's a setup."

An explosion rocked the apartment. Very real alarms began to blare. The main doors were blasted open and Blood Pack shock troops began to pour in. A crash from upstairs signalled a similar invasion. Smoke poured in over the balcony. The air filled with shouts, screams and gunfire.

Melenis fell first. A vorcha grabbed her neck, its claws piercing her skin as it shot her square in the back. Her large eyes went round and terrified… and then she fell forwards. Purple blood seeped over the tilework. Her gaze stared up at me… utterly empty.

Eresh grabbed the back of my shirt, and I was yanked down behind the kitchen counter. He fired his half-modded assault rifle into the ocean of foes crashing into our home. The gun was dodgy. The recoil slammed it into his shoulder on every shot, but he winced through it.

I stared at Melenis. I'd seen people die many times, often at my own hand. I knew how swiftly and unexpectedly the reaper could descend… I'd never cared before. But Mel's death hit me so hard I thought my ribs might crack under the pressure. She was young for an asari. She hadn't even had time to arm herself…

I was jolted from dark thoughts as Butler's body flew over the edge of the gallery and down through the coffee table. He lay perfectly still. Meiren's biotic barrier finally broke. She lashed out with several shockwaves and fired a thermal clip at an oncoming krogan, but the full force of his charge sent her flying into a troop of waiting vorcha. Her shrill scream echoed over the walls as they tore through her armour.

Enraged, Krul took on the invading krogan. With a roar, he slammed his head against the elder and followed up with a sharp right hook. The Blood Pack krogan let out a harrowing laugh. The blow tickled his shields. I felt the colour drain from my face. I knew that maniacal cackle all too intimately. "Garm…"

Eresh's gun finally backfired on him. He grunted as he took a hefty wound to the shoulder for his troubles. Without the suppressing fire, the vorcha were able to clamber over their dead comrades towards us. The batarian shoved me away, pushing me towards the bookcase in the sitting space where Monty was crouched. I rolled across the space and shuffled up to make room… Eresh's head exploded in a shower of blood as he tried to make the same crossing.

"Fuck!" Monty cried out in horror as his friend's headless corpse thudded against the ground.

"Snipers…" I glanced up, and sure enough, Eclipse and Blue Suns were stationed on the upper floor, their gun's pointing down at us. With several concentrated shots, they took down Krul.

"Oh God… We're the last ones left!" Monty sat with his back flat against the bookcase.

"We have to get to the basement. We can escape through the tunnels from there." I took his hand and pulled him with me as I edged towards the end of the bookcase. I glanced up at the snipers, the vorcha and Garm as they took aim on us. Mustering all the fury and pain I could, I threw out a wave of blazing inferno. Several vorcha dropped with wailing screams. Garm's angry bellow reverberated through my bones… but it served its purpose. Monty and I made a break for it. I skidded to a crashing halt against the door and slammed my fist into the holographic panel… it blinkered and turned red. "Oh, you are shitting me!" I drew out my pistol and shoved the thief behind me. "Get it open!" I took aim and landed several shots on Garm. His shields went down, and I threw out a flaming push. We were sheltered from the snipers here, but another shockwave was needed to keep the vorcha from getting too close. Sweat beaded on my brow. My muscles ached. God, I was tired! I coughed against the smoke of my own fire as my body reminded me with a cruel wave of sickness that I was still poisoned.

"I can't get through," Monty cried in despair. "It's jammed!"

I took his arm and pulled him along with me. "Upstairs. Archangel's room." The stench of burning flesh rushed up my nostrils and threatened to make me vomit. "We can bar the door. Maybe get through the vents. Go. Go!" We gave ourselves as much covering fire as we could manage, but the trip up the stairs was a long one, particularly with snipers threatening overhead. Crouching low kept us out of their scope, but it slowed us down.

Monty let out a shout from behind me, and I looked back to see Garm grab the boy's ankles and haul him back. I didn't even have a chance to shout. With psychotic laughter, the krogen grabbed Monty's head and gave it a firm twist. The bones broke with a sick snap… and Monty went still.

Survival instinct kicked in. Adrenaline pounded through my blood. The krogan advanced on me, his dark eyes gleaming with bloodlust, and I ran. I ran faster than I ever had in my life and dove around the corner into Archangel's room. The door slid shut behind me, and I used every possible program on my omni tool to jam it. I yanked Archangel's desk over for good measure. "Shit. Shit. Shit!" The vent was shut. No matter how I kicked and slammed against it, it wouldn't give. _Someone_ had gone to the trouble of locking up on his way out. "Sid, you worthless piece of shit!" It wasn't a strong enough curse. I screamed in rage. I slammed my fists against the wall. I wished him to hell and back… and it still wasn't enough. There wasn't a word in any alien dialect to describe the utter betrayal. They were dead. I breathed heavy, gazing blankly at the shutters over Archangels windows. All of them, gone in under five minutes!

I heard Garm hammering his angry fists at the doors. He barked for the Eclipse merc's to get over here and crack it open. My heart began to race again. My shitty little programs were nothing against the salarian tech experts of the Eclipse.

I backed further into the room, my eyes darting around the walls as I desperately sought escape. But there was nothing. Everything had been sealed up tight. I felt my life shorten in front of me. The years I thought Garrus had reclaimed were snatched away and became scant minutes.

I was never going to see him again. Tears sprung into my eyes as the reality hit me. I was going to die… and I'd never have a chance to tell him how much he had changed me. He'd never know how precious that was. I'd felt more alive these last few months than I had my whole life. I'd tasted hope. I'd dared to dream of something _better_. I folded into the corner by his bed and slid down, hiding like a helpless child as the doors sparked and the holographic panel flickered to orange. I didn't want to die! Tears streamed over my face, even as I scolded myself for the weakness. I'd imagined many ways I might meet my end, but cowering had never been an option.

My box was still behind Archangel's headboard. I grabbed it and pulled it forward. Throwing off the lid, I rummaged inside to find a mostly blank OSD. With another nervous glance at the door, I slid it into my omni tool and brought up the program to record. "Angel… If you're watching this, I'm dead. If I'm not dead, get the hell out of my box, you fat-wasted, short fringed arsehole!" The door gave another threatening spark, and I swallowed down my nerves. "I don't have much time. Okay. Here it goes. It was Sid. He sold you out for the credit he needed to get back to the Citadel. The others are dead already. I…" My voice wavered as Mel and Monty's lifeless faces flashed through my mind. I thought of Gavorn… He had no idea that he would never see his lover again. He wouldn't know until Monty didn't show up for their date. "I tried to help them, but I fucked it up, and now they're all dead." Fresh tears spilt over my cheeks, and I rubbed them away roughly. "So, I need you to survive whatever they have planned for you and put a bullet between Sid's eyes, okay? Of all the scum in the galaxy…"

My voice cracked, and I had to break off to put it back together. The door let out a whine. I glanced up and saw the panel flicker to green for all of a second. My heart leapt from behind my ribs into my throat. Minutes turned to seconds. "Alright! I was the one that hid your boots the other day. Y'know, shits and giggles. Also, it was me broke your first visor, not Krul. You left it on the bed for fuck sake! And that special edition rifle that just turned up in your locker? I… might have pulled a couple for strings for you. You're welcome." With a heavy clunk, the door was forced open an inch. Thick, krogan fingers slid inside and took a hefty grip. All the shit of my life spiralled through my thoughts before landing on last night… on that single moment nestled in the afterglow… Gazing up at steel blue eyes and finding _something_. "I love you." I said it now as I should have said it then. "And, I know it's corny and cliché, but I don't know what I did to deserve knowing you. So, thank you… For everything."

The OSD had run out of space. I hoped to hell it caught everything. With a grunt and a moan, Garm was yanking the door open. I could hear the hiss of his vorcha as they scrambled to get in. I rushed to put the disc back in its case. Drawing out my knife, I scratched Garrus's name into the front cover, then wrapped Daniel's silver crucifix around it. I slung it back into my box on top of all my other trinkets then knocked the crate so that it was mostly under the bed. Unimportant. Unnoticeable to everyone who wasn't so painfully organised as Archangel was.

The door finally slid open the rest of the way. I rose to my feet and took out my pistol. I took out the first wave or vorcha, then threw down my gun and resorted to biotics until my fever got the better of me. I fell down onto my knees as exhaustion robbed me of any chance I had left. My body was burning. My sight blurred. I was about to pass out when Garm's heavy fist grabbed a handful of my neck.

"You stupid, worthless whore." He spat the words into my face. "You sold me to Archangel… and now I'm going to break you."

I stared my death in the face. I scowled at him, bloodshot eyes narrowing. "Better men than you have tried. Bring it!"

I felt a cold, sharp pain and drew in a gasp that hurt my chest. Garm's knife sliced through my flesh and up under my ribs. I felt it pierce through my lungs with disconcerting clarity. The blade sang as it was yanked from my body. Garm tossed me down, letting my head hit the floor as my blood slowly seeped. "Clear out!" he barked. "Archangel will be back soon. We'll be waiting for him."

It hurt to breathe. I rolled onto my back and tried to put pressure on it… but my weakened hands just slipped over sodden skin. I watched in a daze as Garm, and his vorcha left. They tossed the desk back as they left, the door remaining wide open. I listened for an eternity as the merc's abandoned the place. They'd hide in the shadows. They'd wait for him to come back, lured in by the fear for his people.

I swallowed and found the taste of blood on my tongue. It was getting harder to think. I tried to wait… I wanted to wait… Seconds ticked by, each one an eternity of deafening silence.

The quiet was disturbed by a hurried shuffle. I knew those footsteps. He stopped periodically, and I gave a weak, bittersweet smile. Checking for pulses, no doubt. Then he was up the stairs and through the door. Cold blue eyes landed on mine. For a moment, he stood in horror at all the crimson staining the tile of his floor.

"Maggie!" His gun was tossed down so that his hands could snatch the med kit on his way over. He fell to his knees, tearing at packets of medigel. "You're going to be alright… Spirits!" He slathered it on, pack after pack, dose after dose. I felt the chemical try… I felt the soothing numbness sink into my skin.

I reached and with an unsteady hand, managed to grasp his wrist, stopping him from opening another packet. "You're going to need that…" my voice was a watery rasp. My fingers left a red imprint on his armour. There was so much blood!

For a second more he tried to fight the inevitable. He joked about fixing me up – about taking worse hits than this. Then he promised to save me – to carry me out of here if he had to. Finally, acceptance dawned on him. The medigel packets slipped from his fingers, and I saw the light of hope leave his eyes. "Maggie…"

I wanted to say something reassuring. I wanted to see him smile, just once. But I couldn't breathe anymore. I gasped for breath that wouldn't come, and it _hurt_.

Garrus rested his hand on my face. "I'm so sorry. This is all my fault!"

The hell it was! With a last burst of determination, I managed to catch his eye with a deathly glare, then swivelled my gaze meaningfully to the box sticking out from under his bed. He saw it. He lunged for it and yanked the lid off the top. The disc was waiting, his own name staring up at him. He took it, and I relaxed. Sid would pay… and Garrus would know. I could die with that assurance at least.

I was getting dizzy. I couldn't keep my eyes from rolling so I shut them. The pain was forgotten as exhaustion got the better of me. I felt the warm comfort of Garrus's arms on me – lifting me, maybe? I heard him saying my name… But it was all so far away. I had to sleep. I had to go… This wasn't a fight I could win. Not this time. 'Godspeed, Garrus Vakarian—'

* * *

AN: At last! My remastering is completed! Whoop! It was always my plan to kill Maggie off with the rest of Archangel's team in order to keep with the game story as much as possible, but when I wrote the original, a couple of people did challenge me to write an alternate ending where she survived and got integrated into the main plot (Meeting Shepard and joining the crew of the Normandy). I'm not sure if I'll remaster that as well, but I admit… it is kind of a temptation. What do my awesome readers think?


	18. Chapter 17 - ALTERNATE

**CHOICES – REMASTERED**

 **AN: The readers have spoken! I'm flattered as hell that you guys like Maggie enough to want her to stick around a bit longer. So, as per your request, I'm pulling 'Choices' out of my vault and giving that a dust off too. As it is technically a continuation, not a sequel, I'll be adding it here directly after the Call me Maggie story rather than create a new posting for it. Just continue reading as though Chapter 17 never happened. Enjoy** 😉

 **Note to my fellow diehard ME fans: I have taken huge artistic liberties with the background of Nihlus Kryik to fit with Maggie's story. Considering the insertion of an entirely new OC, I think messing with the history of a dead character is the least of my sins! XD**

* * *

 **(ALTERNATIVE) SEVENTEEN**

I dragged my feet through the reeking back alleys of Omega. The heat was doing nothing for my fever. In a delirium of sweat and anger, I thought about going back to Archangel and confronting him over the damn mark he'd left on my neck. What the hell was he thinking? Staking a claim like that? For a turian, it was a huge deal to mark a partner… one I couldn't quite believe. Who the hell would be crazy enough to want to put up with _me_ long term?

With a moan, I paused and leaned against one of the scorching walls. My arm braced against my cramping stomach, and I had to take a few deep breaths of smoky air in an attempt to sooth the nausea. I was still feeling the after-effects of the poison, now with the added joy of an emotional roller-coaster. Give me bloodthirsty mercs any day; I could deal with that! But heroic, soldier-boy turians with sharp eyes? They had a bad habit of leaving me utterly defenceless and very, _very_ conflicted.

"Ah… fuck!" I slid down against the wall and hung my head in my hands. I wasn't ready to face him. I couldn't. What the hell was I supposed to say? I liked him. I wanted him. But why in God's name would he want me? I didn't think he was any kind of liar – he was always far too honest for his own good – but I thought maybe he was capable of romanticising me. He was under the illusion that there was a good person hiding under my rough exterior and what frightened me most was that one day he'd wake up and realise he was wrong – that he'd tell me I was worth jack shit and just… leave. I didn't think I could stand it. My insides curled in on themselves just thinking about it.

"To hell with this!" I threw up my hands, forced myself onto my feet, and turned back the way I'd come. It wasn't in my nature to trouble myself, so it should be easy to fall back on old habits and just… walk away. Make that clean break the sensible part of my brain had been insisting on for months now… At least, that's what I tried telling myself for the first few blocks. When that inevitably failed, I went back to frothing, hair-pulling anger and insisted – with more than a little spite – that Archangel was an arrogant prick who deserved the silent treatment for a few days, if only to remind him who he was dealing with! He didn't own me. He'd never own me! I was my own person and if I felt like taking off and putting some space between us for a while, then hell, that's just what I'd do!

The thought of 'taking off' put a bad idea into my head that I was more than pissed off enough to go with. I pulled up my omni-tool and checked the clock. Yeah… I still had time. Burying the discomfort in my gut and stubbornly ignoring the protesting in my chest, I made my way to the nearest transport and threw myself into the back of a cab. "Docks," I told the batarian driver shortly. "And step on it will ya? I have a flight to catch."

* * *

"All set for your new life on the Citadel?"

Sidonis leapt in shock, then clutched his chest as though he were about to have a heart attack. "Spirits, Maggie!"

I smirked in satisfaction and stuffed my hands in my pockets. "Kinda jumpy aren't you?"

As if to prove my point, he shifted his weight around nervously. "What are you doing here?"

I ducked around the seats in the waiting area and took the vacant spot next to him. "Thought I'd give you a proper send-off. Maybe… see if you still wanted some company?"

A little light of hope sparked up in his puppy eyes. "Really? You … still want to come along? What about—?"

I raised a hand to cut him off. "—Don't mention the boss. Not if you value your face plates."

"You guys had a fight already?" He made a shitty mess of trying not to look optimistic.

I levelled him with a warning glare. "Faceplates, Sid. Faceplates."

He raised his talons in surrender. "Alright, alright!"

I sat back in the tacky, plastic chair, content to sit in silence until the transport. My gut was jumping around, trying to warn me that this was one of my shittier ideas, but I was still in too foul a mood to listen to it.

"Hey, er, Maggie…?" Sid was shifting nervously again. "You have credentials, right? An ID signature that lets you travel? Just 'cause, they'll check you at the gate and, after Seran, they're pretty anal about that kind of thing… And I know you said you'd never left Omega—"

"—Yeah, I got one." I cast a glance up and saw some curiosity come to him. "An old friend had me officially registered." I looked away with a frown. "Last favour he did me before he went and got himself shot in the back. I've never had to use it though."

Sid scratched at his cowl. "It's er… it is legit, right? The citadel's got pretty advanced scanners, and I don't fancy sitting in a jail cell for people trafficking—"

I rolled my eyes irritably. "It's legit, jeez! My friend was a Spectre." That was more than I'd wanted to tell him, but it was the only way to shut him up about it.

He blinked several times in shock… and then again in awe. Great. More hero worship. "You… You have contacts among the spectres?"

I turned my head to glance at the incoming and outgoing transports through the waiting room window. My heart sank in my chest a little. "Not anymore."

The silence that fell was painfully uneasy. I was relieved when our flight was called up. Sid transferred the ticket he'd brought for me onto my omni-tool, and we walked together to the main gate. An asari with a painfully bored expression checked me off and waved us through.

It was easier than I'd expected to cross the threshold and follow Sid onto the transport. I took the window seat, watching as Omega sank into the distance behind me with a strange, ominous feeling. I frowned. The last time I'd been on a transport, it had been a small, private ship. I'd been huddled into the back corner, bleeding, broken… blonde. I ran a hand through my hair and rubbed absently at the cut on the back of my neck, then shook my head and let my fingers fall into my lap. Nervousness, that's all it was. I leaned into my seat – even went so far as to rest my head on Sid's hard shoulder – and let exhaustion catch up to me. I needed to sleep off the poison. I needed my wits about me if I was going to survive somewhere new. I felt Sid's talons lace around my fingers, and for once, I allowed what little comfort his friendship offered. If nothing else, I could count on the idiot turian to be painfully protective.

* * *

Sid shook my shoulder with breathless excitement. "Maggie!" Another, harder shake. "Maggie, look!" He pointed a talon at the window, and I turned my sleepy gaze to look out.

I blinked a few times, then sat up with immediate interest. "Holy shit!" I'd seen pictures of the citadel. I'd watched vids and documentaries, but to actually see the vast, floating city spread like a star against the purple nebula was something else entirely. It was easily ten times the size of Omega! I swallowed deeply as doubt finally set in. What the fuck had I gotten myself into now?

I half listened to Sid as he named the arms and pointed out a few of the grand military ships passing us by. But all I could think was that this was where Nihlus had lived. It was where Garrus had started out. My perspective of them shifted as I realised, with a horrible stomach-dropping moment of clarity, that they had both seen so much more of the galaxy than I had. That probably made them smarter than me… maybe even wiser? I'd been told my whole life that I was literally gods gift to the universe. I hadn't realised how much of that bullshit rhetoric I'd actually believed. For the first time in my whole life, I felt small, insignificant… and royally stupid to have ever thought anything else.

Regret hung heavy in my gut as we disembarked only to get caught up in crowds of people of all species, shapes and sizes. Clean people, with nice clothes, polished scales and carefree walks. The lights were blindingly blue, dazzling in an array of complimenting colours emanating from the shop fronts. I had to squint and hold tight onto Sid's arm as he led the way towards the gate into the Citadel proper.

A guard in C-Sec blues looked me over with sharp, questioning eyes as he scanned me and the ID's on my Omni-tool. "Magdelene Kryik?" The turian looked me up and down long enough for Sid to start shifting nervously again. "That's a turian family name."

I gave him an irritable shrug. "I'm adopted. Papers should be in the archives."

He looked down to his console and ran the search. I watched with smug satisfaction as his brow plates arched. He cast another glance upwards and cleared his throat into his hand. "Apologies, Ma'am. Enjoy your visit to the Citadel."

He checked Sid's ID's after mine, then let us through into Zekera Wards. My companion jogged the short way to catch up with me. "'Kryik'? Are you kidding me? The Spectre you knew was Nihlus?!" He grabbed my arm, forcing me to stop. "He _adopted_ you?"

I snorted, amused by his stupidity. "Hardly. We fucked a bit. He let me use his name. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement."

"Bullshit!"

My eyes widened in alarm as Sid called me out with more daring than I thought him capable of.

His shoulders sagged, and I watched his good mood evaporate in the wake of some epiphany. "First a Kryik then a Vakarian? I really don't stand a chance, do I?"

"Not really." It was a wonder that this was such a surprise to him. I didn't think I could have been any clearer about what I thought of him.

Sid pulled his pack a little higher onto his back a stuffed his talons into his pockets. "The Kyrik's are a big time military name. You must be something pretty damn special for Nihlus give it to you." He cast me an almost reproachful look as he led the way through the markets. "It's a lot to live up to."


	19. Chapter 18

**EIGHTEEN**

Great. Now I was stuck with deep thoughts! I had deliberately avoided thinking of Nihlus since he'd left on that last mission. Too much had been left open, raw, and unfinished… More than I'd thought if what Sid had suggested was true.

I found myself thinking back to when the Spectre had presented me with my brand spanking new ID's. At the time, Nihlus had shrugged it off. It was more convenient to use his own name. It was easier on the paperwork. His spectre authority wouldn't be questioned… but that had been before I'd learned to properly read turian body language and sub-tones. I tried to drag up every detail of that memory, tried to recall exactly _how_ he'd said it and if I'd missed anything unspoken. I guessed… giving someone your family name was a big deal in any situation. That Nihlus's family were somehow important... well, I supposed that made it a bigger deal.

I wondered how much power he might have given me. It certainly seemed to have an effect on the c-sec guard. Had Nihlus left me one last line of defence? Something he hoped might protect me in his absence? Or did he really think that somehow, I might be able to live up to his big-shot military family? That sounded absurd to me, no matter what Sid appeared to think. I frowned into my hand as I watched my companion fuss with the hotel staff over the rooming arrangements. What the hell did Nihlus's family think of this 'honour'? Did they even know about it?

Sid threw up his hands in frustration and turned away from an apologetic asari receptionist. He approached with caution in his step. "They… er… Y'see, I booked the hotel after we had that argument and—"

"—They can't possibly give you a twin room instead of a double?" I deadpanned.

A little relief came to him as he realised that I wasn't in a bad enough mood to blame him personally. "Yeah."

"Figures." With a heavy sigh, I pushed up onto my feet. "Fine."

"We could try a different hotel, but last-minute check-ins are—"

"—It's fine, Sid." I was way too tired to wander around the citadel streets looking for a place to stay, but I turned a warning glare on him. "I'm still not fucking you, though."

He waved his talons around defensively. "No! No, I get it." He followed me at a small distance as we headed for the elevator.

Everything in the citadel was so damn _clean_. The hotel room – a cheap one, Sid insisted – was nicer than most of the apartments on Omega. It was about as large as Archangel's bedroom but panelled with decorative features of wood and magnolia. My tired eyes zoned in on the bed and went wide at the brushed leather of the headboard and pristine, white sheets. "Who rooms here? The fucking Queen?"

"Err…" Sid gave me a blank look – like he had no idea what I was talking about let alone how to reply.

"Forget it. My British is showing."

"Huh?"

I flopped down and let out a moan of exquisite pleasure as the pillows and mattress sunk down under my weight. "Oh, just fuck off, Sid."

"No, wait… I know this…! 'British' is a place on Earth, right? Is that where you're from?" He set his bag down on the polished dresser.

I rolled my eyes. "'Britain' is a place on Earth, yeah. I've never actually seen it – I was born on a space station – but the person who er… 'raised me'… he was from there." Daniels was the last person I wanted to be thinking about, but even I had to admit I'd brought the conversation on myself.

"You don't talk much about where you're from." My companion's mood was picking up again, delighted it seemed, to be sharing back stories with me.

"It ain't worth mentioning, believe me. Besides, it's gone now." I frowned up at the fancy patterns on the ceiling. Nihlus's face was circling my thoughts again, quickly replaced by the dashing vigilante I'd left behind on Omega. A jump went through my chest and the cut on my neck twinged. Between the two of them, there was nothing left of my childhood but the memories I was trying to forget. "Urgh!" I rolled over onto my side and made an effort to put both men out of my mind. "I'm too badass for this kind of sentimental shit."

Sid was a slow learner, but he did eventually pick things up. He sensed enough to know not to push for more information, even as he came to sit on the edge of the bed to take off his large boots. "I'm… uh… I'm gonna take a shower, then I'll probably get some sleep. I've got to start looking for work tomorrow… Need more funds if I want to start over."

"Sensible," I grunted, already half asleep again.

"Maggie…? Are you okay? You slept eight hours on the transport, and you haven't asked me where the nearest bar is."

"Got poisoned. Took some meds already. I'll be fine." I yawned and curled up more comfortably. "Just need to sleep it off. Get your damn shower already and stop bugging me."

Sid was silent and still for a hesitant moment. I could feel his concern worming through the air, and I stubbornly ignored it. Eventually, Sid decided it was better to trust my judgement than risk my wrath by suggesting a doctor or something. He got back to his feet and took the time to unlace my boots and yank them from my toes for me. A small quiver of guilt went through my gut as he pulled one of the blankets up over my shoulder with far more affection than I liked or deserved. Then he turned without a word and went into the little bathroom, the panel turning red behind him. I stared after him for a minute, then snuggled down into the pillows and shut my eyes.

* * *

By morning, I felt marginally better. Less like a poisoned wreck and more like the strong, independent woman I'd moulded myself to be. I let Sid treat me to a room service breakfast – the citadel food was, of course, a thousand times better than any of the slop you could find on Omega – then took down notes on his directions to some of the places I wanted to visit while he was out on his job hunt.

I looked around the Presidium with wide eyes and awed over _sunlight_ – fake though it was. When was the last time I'd seen a day-time? Or greenery for that matter. I meandered around the parks, my hands stuffed into my pockets, taking in the spectrum of life and trying very hard not to care that I stuck out like a sore thumb in my ripped, grubby clothes and bright coloured hair. I managed to catch myself a c-sec tail and everything.

I refused to let it bug me. Hell, the guy's instincts weren't far off anyway. All the glittering jewels and carelessly flashed credit chits _were_ a temptation… I just hated the idea of being stuck in a cell… confined to one place… with all control taken out of my hands. So, I was a good girl. I toed the line. I took my following officer on a nice tour of the Presidium stores, then made my way back to the transits as a headache developed. It was the lights. Too bright. Too garish. They made me feel hungover.

I took a car back to the more comfortable half-light of the wards and stumbled upon a seedy bar that was a little more my style. 'Chora's Den'. I sat my sorry arse down in front of a pretty dancer and let her shake her hips and roll her head while my mind wandered away from her completely. I thought about sending a message to Archangel, just to tell him where I was… or maybe call him names… I wasn't sure. But I dismissed the idea pretty quickly and instead spent the better part of an hour moping.

My heart sat heavy against my ribs in a way that I couldn't put down to poisoning. A similar weight was jolting around my guts with a ghost of the foreboding I'd felt when leaving Omega. 'Something' wasn't right. And it wasn't just the disorientation of a sudden trip and a very new environment. I felt as though I had all the pieces of a complex puzzle in my hand but was too stupid to see how they fit together.

"Hey, honey, you watching this or what?" The dancers on the Citadel were apparently a lot more demanding than their Omega counterparts. My eyes focused back in on the woman, kneeling with her hands on her hips and an irritable expression on her face.

With a tut of frustration, I pushed up onto my feet. My omni-tool lit up as I transferred her payment to her. "If you did a better job, maybe I'd be more interested."

Her eyes bulged with outrage, but I turned away and went to sit at the bar before she could spout her scathing reply. At least the liquor was better on the citadel too. The rich burn of the alcohol slid down my throat and sang a convincing lullaby to my inner demons. But without rage, all I had left was worry… and that unshiftable unease. God help me… I was _missing_ him. I ran a hand through my hair and downed another shot. I was missing both of them. Archangel… and Nihlus.

* * *

Sid got his job with pretty much a snap of his talons. An old buddy down at the docks got him a position shifting cargo down at the warehouses. Not much, he'd said, but it was a start. A place to rebuild from. I spent a couple of mornings helping him look at potential apartments, then, when his shifts started, I strolled off to amuse myself until he re-joined me late in the evening for a drink.

I discovered a darkened market in the very bowels of the wards that I liked. It was gloomy and grimy enough that it reminded me a little of home. I drooled over a particularly beautiful red leather jacket that I found there. It was way out of my budget, and even in this lower end of the citadel, security was way to thick to risk lifting it. Damn. Maybe once I got back to Omega, I'd ask Archangel for a stipend. I was pretty sure the rest of his gang got _something_ to keep them going…

I also spent time in extranet café's, looking through the public archives while drinking down more coffee than was wise. It was pretty shocking to me, to find how much information was so freely available to the public. There was nothing I didn't already know about Garrus, but his Dad had one hell of a gleaming record. It was intimidating just reading his file, and I found myself praying that our paths never crossed… There's no way in hell we'd ever get along with civility. Some of the other names from our gang turned up too. It seemed Archangel's followers were an almost ironic mix of criminals and security specialists.

Out of morbid curiosity, I searched for Nihlus's name and found the bastard had one hell of a career list too. War stories I'd heard, and others I knew nothing about. There was even a mention of Project Eve that made my belly leap. I learned – with a rapid beating of my heart – there was a memorial for him in the Citadel Tower. A mausoleum where a lot of dead spectres were honoured. They'd taken his ashes to rest there…

I went to look. How could I not?

A long, garishly white hall seemed to go on forever. Silver plaques bearing names and dates lined every inch of space in perfect rows and columns. That irritating VI, Avina, told me where to find Nihlus and I walked along, trying to keep my heart from vomiting with nerves. I hadn't seen him since he'd left for Edan Prime. He just walked out of the door with that cocksure turian grin and a taunt about not waiting up…

And there he was. His name sat at eye height. His date of death glared at me. My mouth went dry.

Nihlus had just disappeared. Stopped calling me. Stopped sending credits. I'd heard about his murder on the news – everyone did – but it never really sank in. I just sort of acknowledged he wasn't coming back and shrugged it off with copious amounts of alcohol and sex. Now that I was staring at his grave, I thought _maybe_ some foolish part of me hadn't actually believed it… that I'd assumed he'd roll back in one day and tell me it was all part of some classified mission he was on. It wouldn't have been the first time he'd vanished for a while. But that made up the comfortable distance between us. Everything about it had felt _convenient_ and I never, ever thought above my station. "Then why'd you give me your name, if it was so damn precious to you…? Why'd you die before you could tell me, arsehole?" I let out a sigh and ran my fingers over the plaque with a heaviness in my chest. The lettering lit up under my touch, and a little blue hologram of his face formed, pixel by pixel. Tightness gripped my throat. Great. That was just… great.

Someone cleared their gravelly voice, and I looked up, startled. I'd been so deep into my wallowing that I hadn't even heard the footsteps on the stone. A turian man. Older. Weathered by battle and grief. The vague familiarity of his green eyes and rust-coloured plates made me feel sick. _Shit_. This was absolutely not a situation I could handle!

I backed up a pace or two, swallowed hard, and, as he opened his mouth to speak, I turned and strode away from him. Whatever he had to say to me, I didn't want to hear it. He was too dignified a man to give chase… Or maybe he simply didn't care who I was. I was fine with either option.

I got back to the hotel room before Sid had even finished his shift and sat on the end of the bed with a whimpering heart. For a 'holiday' this trip had been far from restful. I rubbed the heel of my hand into my eyes, telling myself it was because I was tired, not because I was fighting back miserable tears. _Archangel_. I missed him more than I had words for. I craved his touch. I needed his silent, unquestioning, unconditionally offered comfort. The cut on the back of my neck had faded to a light bruise and, somehow, that seemed to confirm it to me. It was time to go home… maybe beg forgiveness if I had to.

I packed up what little I'd acquired on my trip, then picked up a datapad from the desk to leave a message for Sid. "Hey arsehole," I greeted the recording light. "Looks like neither one of us is good with the goodbyes…" I paused thoughtfully. "Or maybe I just don't want to sit and listen to you try and persuade me to stay. Lord knows you've been gearing up for it. So… yeah, I'm taking off. Guess I must be homesick or something." I let out a sigh and a shrug. "Good luck, Sid. I'll give the others your love." I ended the recording, tossed it down onto the bed and snatched up my pack. Feeling considerably more at ease than I had all week, I headed out of the hotel and down to the transit hub.

"Docks."

The volus driver nodded his acknowledgement, and I sat back against my seat with a sigh. I closed my eyes and thought of Archangel… of exactly how enthusiastically I planned to make it up to him. My body quivered with the promise and I smiled to myself. Yeah, it was definitely time to go home.


	20. Chapter 19

**NINETEEN**

Hindsight is a royal bitch. I shoulda seen it coming. I should have known. The thousands of creds Sid would have needed to pay for transport, hotel and a down payment on an apartment? No one gets that rich that quick without a deal with the devil! If I'd stayed on the citadel another day, the news might even have reached me. It wasn't like I hadn't been keeping an eye on the Omega reports.

I knew the second my feet found the grubby floors of the transit station that nothing was as I'd left it. There were more mercs than usual. They staggered drunk in and out of Afterlife with elation in their steps and victory in their celebratory cheering. The innocent locals did their best to keep out of their way. Fear and heaviness on their shoulders looked a lot like defeat. And everywhere I went, people gossiped in low, hushed whispers. Something big had gone down, and it didn't take a fucking genius to realise it was something to do with my Archangel. Those puzzle pieces I'd been holding onto began to snap together with alarming speed, and far too much suddenly made sense. I'd gone down two streets before panic made me break into a run. I was just paranoid – I told myself over and over – I had to be. No one could take down Archangel, he'd convinced even cynical me of that!

I skidded to a sharp halt just short of his apartment and backed up quickly into the shadows. Blue Suns! An army of them patrolled the bridge and surrounding roads. I shook my head to myself. My heart shuddered in terror. "No, no, no…!" I refused to accept what my gut was insisting. I wouldn't even entertain it. He had to be inside. He and his gang would be holding out. They just needed an extra, fiery hand to get them out and everything would be okay. I knew some spots we could take cover in for a bit until this all cooled off…

But the Blue Suns weren't in any kind of combat formations. They were packing up and scrounging the last pieces of siege equipment they'd left behind.

I found a nearby hatch into the secret passages and let myself in to run the one that went right under the bridge and up into Archangel's basement. God… why the hell hadn't I ever told him it was there?! Why did I always have to have the upper hand? An edge. An _escape_. Why couldn't I trust just one person in all the galaxy?! With shaking hands, I unlocked the garage shutters and let myself in…

It was quiet. Utterly, deadly still. I drew my pistol and came close enough to the back door to lean in and listen. Nothing. Not even a shuffle. When I went inside, everything was dark… and empty.

I kept my gun raised as I walked through the lower floor. Shot marks. Scorching. Empty thermal clips… body bags. They were laid out in a neat row under the balcony, the names inscribed on each tag. "Mel…" I rested my hand on the foot of her makeshift grave. My heart tore as I thought of her bright, girlish smile and affectionate fussing. Monty lay next to her. Just as still. Just as lifeless. I wondered if Gavorn knew yet. "Shit…!" My eyes were watering. My nose threatened to run, and I had to sniff it back. I clenched my fist and grit my teeth. I _had_ to find Archangel!

His bedroom was empty but for another makeshift graveyard. More bodies. More friends. Garrus's guns were gone though. There was no sign of his armour or his stashes of ammo and medigel. That was promising, right? I leaned my head around the door of the dorm, cautiously aware that the large windows offered no privacy from the Blue Suns still patrolling the streets below.

Furniture upturned. Ammo and aide boxes empty and strewn. The couch was shot to hell and back! I lifted a hand, and with very careful control, lit my fingers enough to give off a warm glow.

My stomach lurched with such force that for a second, I thought I was going to throw up. Anguish twisted my features and impaled me. Blood. Royal blue, staining the tiles in a large, dried up ocean. I fell back against the wall and slid down to the floor. The light from my hand went out, plunging me into almost darkness… But I kept staring at it. I couldn't stop. The _stain_.

For the longest moment, I was numb. I couldn't think. I couldn't feel. Maybe it wasn't his… Some small part of my hopeful brain tried to bargain with me. It could be from an enemy. There was no body to confirm it. Maybe he got away? But the spark of hope was crushed under reason. The mercs were celebrating. They wouldn't be doing that if they hadn't got their mark. Where else would he have gone anyway? It's not like he had mountains of friends on Omega. I shook my head as tears filled my eyes. No. He was dead. That much blood…? He'd need a miracle and an emergency evac to have even a _chance_ …

Torment was not new to me. Despair and pain and the brutal reality of life… I knew them better than anyone. But the emotion that flooded my body tried to drown me with unprecedented intensity. I choked on my own tears. I shook with the sobbing. And no matter how I tried, I couldn't be quiet. _He was gone_. I pulled at my hair as his face haunted me. He was gone and left everything unfinished and unsaid. I'd never know what he meant by marking me. I'd never tell him that he was a bastard for doing it!

The galaxy was empty and worthless. My skin crawled. My muscles began to shake. The agony of existing without him broke into a fury so brutal, it was new even to me. Inner fire blazed with the rage of hell itself, blistering the skin on my hands and arms. I screamed and cursed. I beat fists against the floor like a wild animal… and when Blue Suns raced up the stairs to investigate the wailing… I unleashed every ounce of power I had and set an inferno that consumed the apartment.

* * *

Ash. It rained like snow across the neighbourhood. I watched from a distance with cold, empty eyes, as what passed for emergency services – mostly Aria's thugs armed with water cannons instead of guns – finished putting out a malicious blaze that had destroyed half the street. Families were abandoning their burnt-out shacks. Tears and fear rippled through the gathering crowds… But I regretted nothing because I felt nothing. Absolutely… nothing. Archangel was gone, and Omega was dead to me.

I turned away, wiping soot from my face, and vanished back into the secret tunnels. Without much thought, I walked. I came to a hatch my instincts told me was the right one and pulled myself up and out into the main square outside Afterlife.

"Maggie? Holy shit!" Gavorn's hand appeared in front of me, offering to yank me free of what he thought was a maintenance tunnel. He looked me over with blood-shot eyes and a disapproving frown. "No need to ask what you've been up to. That fire in the Gozu district was your handy-work then?" He let out a sigh and relaxed his expression. "Thought it might have been."

"Who did it?" My throat cracked and ached under the pressure of my own hoarse voice.

But Gavorn only shrugged. "They're all claiming responsibility. Blue Suns, Eclipse and Blood Pack." He glanced along the street, his rifle clutched tightly in his hand. "Archangel took a shit ton of them down with him though. You'd be proud." He wiped his brow plate with his wrist. "Got all three leaders too."

"Good… That'll make them nice and disorganised." I began to walk again, my feet taking me a few steps towards Afterlife.

Gavorn caught my arm. "Hey! Wait. Where are you going? You can't waltz up to Aria looking like that. She's pissed about that fire. You wander around like that she's gonna know it was you—"

"—You think she doesn't already?" I arched an eyebrow at him. "I don't give a fuck what Aria thinks or knows. She wants a piece of me? She can take a fucking number!"

The Captain raised his gun and his hands defensively. "I'm just thinking… if you want to get your revenge – and I'm completely on board after what those fuckers did to Monty – you should maybe get your act together first?"

That… was an irritatingly good point. That I could even feel irritation was probably another good sign that I should find somewhere to lay low for a night. "Fine…" I looked up at him. "Let me crash at yours, and I promise I will personally fuck up the arseholes that did this… _very slowly_."


	21. Chapter 20

**TWENTY**

Gavorn filled me in on all the details I'd missed – from the how's and why's of Archangel's demise all the way to the clearing of the plague that had been, well, _plaguing_ the neighbourhoods around Mordin's clinic. I listened with mute numbness. I'd found that cold, empty, nothing again… which was better than the alternative, I guessed. If I weren't so fucking drunk, I was pretty sure I'd be bawling my eyes out like a pathetic little child lost at the markets. My mind still couldn't comprehend it… a galaxy without Archangel in it. Fuck. I'd fallen so bloody hard for the bastard, and I'd barely even noticed.

"Archangel is dead and mystery Cerberus agents are the new local heroes?" I frowned into the empty glass of my whiskey bottle. "Did I jump dimensions on my way back?"

"Maybe." Gavorn downed the last dregs in his own bottle, then tossed it down to join the growing pile of empties on the floor between us. "Sure as hell feels like it." He heaved a great, wistful sigh. "We're gonna need more booze."

"If you can walk straight, be my guest." I threw a hand towards the door to his small, studio apartment. "Personally, I'm pretty sure I'll throw up if I try moving."

"We should… er…" It was getting hard for the turian Captain to think straight. "Maybe… eat something? Drinking on an empty stomach is bad, right? Especially for humans and your puny constitutions."

I arched an incredulous eyebrow at him. "I'm holding my liquor better than you, old man."

Gavorn groaned and rubbed talons over his brow plates. "Yeah, but I'm way ahead of you. I don't think I've been sober for more than five minutes this week." He let his head rest against the bed we were both propped against. A slow tear escaped his eye and pooled against his cheek ridge. "Fuck."

Reaching out, I patted his arm. Not because I was really capable of feeling any sympathy for him, but because it was accepted social convention and I felt compelled after all the whiskey he'd supplied me with. "We'll get our revenge. Who's left anyway? Blue Suns? There ain't gonna be so many of those bastards around now. Not after Archangel _and_ this big firefight in the plague zone. They'll be easy pickings."

Gavorn nodded glumly. "Yeah. They still got some small stakes left in the lower reaches, but I guess their biggest spot left is up in the eezo mines. They bolster Aria's security there." He glanced down at me. "You're gonna piss off Big Blue if you hit the mines though."

I snorted at Gavorn's nickname for his boss. "Yeah, well, 'Big Blue' can kiss my arse. What about the other two. Blood Pack and Eclipse?"

The turian shrugged. "Eclipse have a huge dock all to themselves. They run a lot of their smuggling operations out of it. If you can kick them there, it's gonna piss off their operations on a galaxy-wide level. But it's also got their heaviest guard. Even Archangel was smart enough to give the place a wide berth."

"I'm not as smart as Archangel. Blood Pack?"

"Easy. Hit the Vorcha nests. They rely on those vermin for shock troops. Crush the biggest nest, and you'll be cutting off their balls. Almost literally."

With a scoff, I looked up at Gavorn and caught his eye. "You getting me to do your dirty work now?"

He shrugged. "I can show you the way down there, but it was always too big for one guy. My job was just to keep them off Aria's doorstep anyway." Some idea seemed to cross his mind, though it formed with difficulty through the drunken haze. "A girl with your 'special abilities' might just be what we need to destroy it for good." He rubbed his forehead again and tried to get up. "I got some maps. We could—Shit!" His feet wouldn't take his weight, and he toppled down into a sprawling mess of angular limbs.

I heaved a great sigh and pushed myself up, using his cowl as support and knocking him back to the tiles as I went. "Stay down. It's way too painful to watch you flounder. Where are your maps?" I was unsteady. The apartment swayed like I was on a ship lost at sea… but I managed a few staggering footsteps. "Gavorn?"

I glanced down and found the turian captain sobbing into his floor. "Monty…" His voice cracked. The high-pitched keening shattered the ice that had encased my heart and sent a shudder of agony through my bones. I thought of the boy he missed… and then Mel… and Garrus. Blue-eyed badass with a spirit of vengeance even I had to run to keep up with. God…!

My back hit the wall of Gavorn's apartment, and I slid to the floor. Tears filled up my eyes, blurring my vision to a mess of colour and fuzzy shapes before tumbling down over my cheeks. How the hell was I supposed to carry on? It was his fault. He woke me up. He gave me purpose and family and friends. He taught me to trust… I knew it was a bad idea. I knew Omega would take it all back.

I tried to be angry. I tried to hate Garrus – that would be easier than the agony of missing him. But I couldn't. The part of me that did get angry called me a liar. It wasn't Archangel who fucked up. It was Sid. It was Sid… and me. I hadn't told our leader about the secret tunnel in and out of his HQ. I hadn't told him Sid and I were going to the Citadel – maybe he would have been smart enough to wonder where Sid got his credits from. Most of all though… I'd told Sid before I'd even told Garrus…

Turian's are viciously possessive. I knew that. I used it against them all the time. Hell, I manipulated Archangel with it… But I'd never thought of Sid as a threat. Any territorial fight between the two of them would end with Archangel on top. I knew it. Sid knew it. But I'd forgotten just how deadly a coward could be. Fuck! I slapped a hand to my own face as the final puzzle pieces snapped together. That's why Sid wanted me to go with him so bad. Lure the woman away with shiny things and kill the rival from a distance. It was a mating dance older than time… and I'd fallen for it hook line and sinker!

Rage burned enough that I could sniff back the worst of my sobs. Fuck Sid. I'd deal with the mercs… then I was coming for that fucker. That was purpose enough for now.

* * *

The Blue Suns had fallen like lambs to the slaughter. I took one of Gavorn's shotguns and walked through the eezo mines, blasting down anyone in blue and white armour. It was over with quick, therapeutic chaos. Gavorn had helped me map the best path to reap maximum damage. Workers fled. Aria's thugs – when they realised I wasn't shooting at them – happily stepped aside and protected their boss's more material assets. I didn't give a fuck about credits or eezo. It was all about blood. As much as I could spill before the Suns could get organised enough to defend. Strike fast. Strike hard. Leave nothing left to retaliate with.

They were still licking their wounds when I hit the Eclipse. I lured out one of the engineers, killed her, and took her armour. With a face like everyone else's, I snuck in, hotwired one of their smaller ships and got crazy with the onboard weapons before taking my ride and crashing it into their nearby warehouses. The fuel tanks exploded behind me and, I admit, I found a mad smile as I limped away from that one.

The Blood Pack required a little more finesse. I could take on one Krogan, maybe. But half a dozen of them and a small army of Vorcha? With their preference for up-close and personal combat, there wasn't anything to hijack to get the job done easy either. It took a few nights of solid, sober thinking before Gavorn and I finally came up with a workable plan that adequately satisfied our mutual thirst for bloody revenge.

Gavorn had a broken one of those stealthy camouflage things that Monty had left. I took it to the Quarrian boy down in the markets and caught him just as the kid was packing up to leave. My reputation scared him enough to do 'one last job' before he buggered off, and he got it working for one more round. "It won't last," he promised. "You'll get maybe twenty minutes, thirty tops."

But that was all I needed. One thing I could count on with Korgan mercs – the only thing I could count on – was that they'd be almost as pickled as Gavorn and I were. I broke into their storerooms at the Vorcha nest and commandeered as much ryncol as I could fit into one pack. Then I wandered around the base, spilling it over the snoozing guards and vermin brood mothers. Whoops. I met Gavorn outside just as the camouflage unit fizzled out, and with a cocky grin, I raised the last bottle of krogan booze towards the nest building. "To you, Monty. You roguish bastard you."

With a flaming push, I ignited the trail of hard liquor and watched with a flash of excitement as the fuse went up. It burned towards the building, then snatched it. Flames roared as they engulfed the place with phenomenal speed. Vorcha screamed. Krogan shapes struggled to put themselves out. Explosions went off as their ammunition stores overheated. I put the ryncol bottle to my lips and threw back a shot. The foul taste blistered my tongue, but I swallowed it down anyway. It was so fucking beautiful.

Gavorn made a growling sound, and I looked up to find a wicked, scowling grin on his face. The reflection of my flames burned in his eyes. He took a flask from his pocket and swigged at it as he watched his justice play out, then startled me by reaching and putting his arm around me. "Thanks, Maggie."

I rested my hand against his shoulder and leaned against him. "No offence… But I didn't do it for you."

"No. You did it for Monty… and for Archangel…" He cast his blazing eyes towards me. "So you need anything to get Sidonis, you let me know."

I threw back another drink and thought for a moment. "There is something, actually…"


	22. Chapter 21

**AN: …And I'm back! Happy belated seasonal greetings! I hope everyone had awesome festivities. I have a (comparatively) mammoth-sized chapter in tow with delicious turian/human sexiness included. I did think about splitting the chapter into two, but honestly, there wasn't anywhere decent to cut it, and I figure, hey, it's been so long since I updated anyway, why the hell not come with a bang? XD**

* * *

 **TWENTY-ONE**

I had friends – even a few powerful friends – in local circles. But in the commers and goers? Anyone outside Omega? I was pretty much on my own. Gavorn, on the other hand, had gotten around a bit in the turian military before winding up shipwrecked on Omega. Neither he nor I had the credits to put me on a ship back to the citadel… but friends? I knew better than anyone that they worked just as well sometimes.

Sure enough, I asked, and Gavorn was able to provide. I followed him down to the lower levels of Afterlife – careful to avoid Grizz and any other of Aria's key thugs. She was definitely pissed with me. I could feel her scowl from where I was sitting in one of the back booths… but she hadn't put out a hit on me… yet.

Gavorn arrived at the table with another, slightly familiar turian following close behind. He set down a bottle of turian brandy, and then a beer for me. "Maggie, this is Ogrinn. We served our time together."

"You make it sound like a jail sentence," I mused, cracking open the bottle I'd been offered.

Ogrinn let out a scoff and took the seat opposite me. "Not everyone likes compulsory military service, y'know?" His dark eyes wandered over me with mounting fascination – exactly the kind I knew how to handle. Gavorn you glorious bastard! Sure enough, Ogrinn lifted his head and took a none-too-subtle sniff of the air. He wasn't shy, either. Just my type.

With a predatory smile, I lifted my drink and took a mouthful, being sure to stretch my neck out just enough to be provocative.

Ogrinn smirked, pleased with what he saw. "Gavorn tells me you're looking for a, what do you humans call it? A 'sugar daddy'…?"

"He tells me you run cargo to the Citadel sometimes."

He liked me. He was making no secret of it. But there was a flicker of hesitation in his eyes as he poured himself a drink and started on it. "How's your mate?"

Ah. Shit. My smile fell. That's why he was familiar. A hazy memory of smashing his head into a bar crashed through my mind. I lifted my bottle and spoke before downing a generous measure. "Dead. Yours?"

Ogrinn blinked a few times in shock.

"I noticed your mark when I was beating the shit out of you. Sorry 'bout that, by the way."

"… She's at home." He chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. "It's fine. I like a girl with spirit."

I flashed him a seductive smile. "Well, if you want me to beat you up some more. I'm game."

Ogrinn's mandibles flared wide with a smile. "No need for that." He downed the rest of his drink with admirable speed and brought up his omni-tool. "You'll get the Citadel. Hell, maybe you'll even be in a better mood." He winked at me as my device lit up. The details of where his ship was parked and when he was leaving flashed up as a message on the screen. Ogrinn got to his feet. "Don't be late. I'm not waiting around for you." He patted Gavorn's shoulder amiably, then took his leave.

I watched after him, taking in the confidence that he walked with and reading as much as I could from his body language.

"He's not half as scary as he likes to pretend to be," Gavorn reassured me. "And I can vouch for is honesty."

"An honest trader on Omega?" I took another swig of cheap beer. "Yeah right."

"I meant with the sex, actually. As a trader, he's pretty much scum. Always out to make a quick buck."

"Smuggler?" I asked.

Gavorn shrugged. "Probably. I make a point of not asking."

I gave a small nod and a big sigh. "I can handle him."

"Yeah, and he knows it." Gavorn poured himself a fresh glass. "He won't give you any trouble."

"This your way of saying you trust him?"

The Captain shrugged. "Saved my life enough times to have earned it."

"Well… I doubt I'll get a better deal any time soon." I leaned back in my seat and glanced up to the glass that hid away Aria's throne room. "And Lord knows I need to get the hell off Omega until shit cools off."

"Aria won't come after you. Not yet. For the moment, you're still worth more than you're costing."

"If you say so. I'm not going to stick around and find out." I looked down at my omni-tool as I finished my beer and inspected the details Ogrinn had passed to me. "Looks like I have an early start tomorrow."

* * *

I didn't bother waking Gavorn. I just left him a bottle of turian wine on the kitchen counter and took my leave. Far as I was concerned, we were square. Still, I half wondered if I'd run into him again sometime. I guess that depended on whether I intended to come back to this trash heap called Omega or not. Honestly, the fact that I was braving the scorched-out ruins of Archangel's old HQ to find my box suggested that on some level, I didn't expect to.

It was right where I left it – under the burned remains of the bed. Blackened, covered in ash and with a lid that had warped in the heat, but the contents were miraculously unharmed. I sat on the sooty floor as I transferred everything into my bag. I'd need to get a new container before I shipped out. My hands stilled when I came to the silver crucifix.

Fingers brushed over the glinting, bloodstained metal as a pang shot through my chest. It made me think of Archangel again – of the freedom he had given me. The vengeance and vindication… and our first night together. How wild and wonderful it was. How perfect… Then I scoffed at the bitter irony that something that had once installed so much fear and doubt had now become linked to my fondest memories. It was the very definition of bittersweet. I ran the chain over my hands, then, after a moment's hesitation, I lifted it and pulled it on over my head. The pendant rested heavy against my chest just above my breast… right over my heart.

I packed up the rest of my mismatched belongings and slung the bag over my shoulder. For a moment, I looked around at the charred remains of my Omega life – the only place I'd ever called home. From the ruined furnishings and busted doors to the scattered ashes of the body bags that had been lined up in the corner… then I said goodbye.

* * *

Ogrinn had a pretty impressive cargo ship for someone who did runs through Omega. I guessed that Gavorn wasn't 'not asking' so much as 'turning a blind eye' – if it even concerned him at all.

The turian's crew of mostly other turians and one asari were hardly surprised at my unscheduled arrival. They gave me cursory glances and exasperated sighs before pointing me in the direction of their Captain's cabin. Apparently, I wasn't the first girl to 'hitch a lift'. I doubted I'd be the last either. It didn't trouble me any. Ogrinn and I had a contract of sorts, and I'd long ago lost any care of what other people thought of my particular brand of business.

The cabin was small and Spartan. An almost closet-sized room, dimly lit, with just enough room for a bed, a desk and a couple of footlockers. A cubicle-sized bathroom accompanied, and I took the liberty of a quick shower to rinse off the lingering ash and smell of booze. For someone who apparently hated his time in the military, Ogrinn seemed pretty regimental with his space. I could almost feel the tension oozing from his lack of arrangements – the stress of a life he hated but was duty bound to fulfil. I wondered why he bothered. Did his bond mate have expensive taste? Or was he just so desperate to get the hell away from her that he'd confine himself to a life in a near-empty cupboard? I'd once lived in a similar space for a little while, but I was hiding from Daniels at the time. Ogrinn didn't strike me as the hiding type.

I shrugged it off as I dried myself on one of the towels. Not my problem. Not my business. Not my concern. I just needed to get to the Citadel so I could start my hunt. I thought of Sid and let the accompanying rage fill me up. I let it burn through my bones and give me the strength to do what had to be done. I hadn't slept with anyone since—

-That thought put an immediate damper on my spirits. But I set it aside. Garrus was dead, and I'd made a deal. Besides, I was still a passionate woman with passionate needs. I may as well enjoy myself where I could. That was it – the pragmatic ideology that I'd been missing since Archangel waltzed into my life. The level-headed thinking that complimented the need to survive.

I slipped under the cool sheets of Ogrinn's bed and settled down against the pillows. God, I was tired. Alcohol-induced coma's aside, I hadn't slept properly since I'd come back to Omega. I managed to doze and caught maybe ten minutes before the bed dipped behind me with the tell-tale weight of a turian male. I could hear the hum of engines and realised the ship was on the move. He'd come to collect then?

A lazy, taloned hand ran over my body, shoulder to hip. "I'm almost tempted to leave you to sleep your so damned beautiful."

"'Almost' being the operative word there," I murmured.

With a chuckle, he gripped my hip tightly, his long fingers clawing downwards. A jolt of sensation rushed through my body and made tantalising promises.

Ogrinn drew himself against my back under the sheets, and I realised he must have undressed before getting into bed. Naked plating met soft skin from top to toe. He was wonderfully warm, as he nuzzled against my neck and shoulder. An arm was slipped under the pillows where my head lay, scooping me up and drawing me into a possessive embrace while his other hand moved from my hip to explore my body with soft, sensual grasping. I had to give him credit… he certainly knew what he was doing.

He teased my breasts with slow, deliberate pinches, before running his hand over my belly to rest between my legs. One long talon slipped between my lower lips and taunted with gentle circles until I couldn't hold back a gasp of pleasure. "That's it, baby…" he rasped into my ear. "Just relax. I'll take care of you."

I objected to being anyone's 'baby', but I wasn't given a second to protest. A long tongue snaked out and ran over the sensitive mark on the back of my neck. I shuddered and jolted from the unexpected touch. It was bold. Taboo as far as his culture went – acknowledging the sin of the affair. I heard him give a low, reverberating moan and guessed that was where he got his kicks. But for me, all I got was a twinge of guilty nausea.

In another moment he had pulled away and was nudging me onto my back. He kissed and nipped at the other side of my neck, one hand supporting his weight on the pillow next to me, the other palming my breast. He positioned one of his legs between mine and pressed his knee against my centre.

I followed his silent instruction and rubbed against him, letting the rough texture of his plates rob me of any lingering misgivings. I reached, meaning to run my fingertips over his neck, only to have him grasp my hands and pin them with a near bruising grip over my head. For a moment, I lay beneath him; still, silent, wound tighter than a top and waiting as he devoured the sight of my curves with greedy eyes.

His plates had already parted, an impressive erection jutted from his hips. Releasing my hands, he took a grip on my jaw instead and held me still as he shifted position again. His knees settled either side of my head, leaving no question as to what was expected of me.

I rested my hands on his waist, teasing the sensitive skin before obeying his command and pulling him closer for a taste. I took the head into my mouth and ran my tongue against him and sucking hard.

His hand tangle into my hair. "Look at me." He breathed out. I did as I was told, glancing up and locking my eyes with him, earning myself a contented sigh. "Good girl." With that, he took control of my movements by pulling roughly on my hair, forcing me to take him deeper and faster. Desperately, I tried to accommodate him but ended up choking as he hit the back of my throat. I flushed with embarrassment. I was a professional, God damn it!

But apparently, that had been the aim all along. The sensation seemed to drive him wild. Ogrinn growled as he pushed my head down further. I had no choice but to submit – to lay still and let him have his wicked way. There was a thrill in that – in giving up all control and allowing my body to be used up by a stranger… It was simple. Easy money.

And Ogrinn was an easy client. He knew exactly what he wanted and pulled away from my lips just as he began to teeter on the edge. His head was thrown back, a low purr rumbling through his chest as he took a moment to savour the rush of endorphins flooding his brain… and then he was moving again.

He rolled onto his side, yanked my legs open and plunged a talon into me so fast and hard that I yelped with the sudden intrusion. His other arm wrapped around my shoulder so that his hand could take a careful grip on my neck. His gaze flickered to my face, searching for a sign of objection before tightening his hold.

I shut my eyes, let my head fall back against his arm and swallowed down a cry of intense pleasure. _Fuck_. He thrust his finger in and out of me a few times, his thumb rubbing with fast motions. It was sweet torture that sent me from nought to sixty in seconds.

I felt the smirk of his mandibles brush close to my hair. He slowed his motions, and I whined pathetically. "Tell me what you want me to do to you, Maggie..."

My eyes shot open, and I glared at him, my gaze full of furious fire.

"Still too proud, huh? We can't have that." He leaned down, his long tongue darting out to lick along my jaw. He inserted his second talon, and I let out a humiliating cry. Turian fingers were thicker than humans, and he had particularly broad hands. He parted his knuckles, stretching me out and making me moan in tormented delight. "Please!" I gasped. "Oh, God!"

His smirk widened, flashing the sharpness of his teeth. "Good girl. Now tell me what you want me to do." Those same teeth found the place beneath my ear – where neck met jaw – and nipped.

"Fuck!"

"Tell me, baby…" He gave a long sensual brush over my centre that had my eyes watering. He was way too good at this!

To hell with it. I braced my pride and pleaded through gasps. "I want you to fuck me!"

He chuckled again and pulled away. The air felt cold as it hit my skin where he'd been touching. I was left empty and squirming with unfulfilled desire.

"On your knees." His tone held the lash of command. It was a turian favourite, 'doggy style' as we humans called it. I did as I was told. He pushed the back of my head roughly, forcing me down onto the pillows so that my arse was raised towards him. He was definitely into humiliation. Still, right then, I didn't care how he wanted me. I was happy for him to mount me like an animal and screw my brain silent. He didn't disappoint.

Ogrinn's hand came down hard on my thigh as he positioned himself behind me. He slammed home in one rough thrust. I cried out, my voice shuddering against the cold walls of his quarters. He took a grip on my hips and yanked me back to meet him with each thrust. "Holy hell…!" I scrunched up my eyes and grit my teeth on his pillow so as not to scream and beg. God, it felt so fucking good!

"Touch yourself!" he demanded, voice rough with desire. "I wanna feel you cum."

Both my hands dove between my legs to do as I was told with eager enthusiasm. The pleasure mounted quickly, the tension tight in my body. He must have felt it because he began to pound harder.

"Come on…" he moaned. "Surrender. Cum for me, baby."

The command and another sharp strike to my thigh were all I needed to push me over. Wave after wave of blessed release crashed over me. I screamed, the wetness in my eyes dampening his sheets. I rode through every shattering aftershock as Ogrinn continued to fuck my spent body.

The submission seemed to be just his ticket. I heard him curse loudly before a tight grip was taken on my hair. I was yanked up onto my hands as he growled and emptied himself into me. The added sensation sent shock after shock of overwhelming, _painful_ sensation over my skin. "Stop!" I cried out. "Enough!"

But Ogrinn was done anyway. I was released, our bodies parting so that he could slump down on the bed beside me. One arm was slung over his eyes as he sucked down several hard breaths.

I took his momentary blindness as an opportunity to wipe the moisture from my eyes. I'd had more than my fair share of turian partners, but I had to give Ogrinn credit… very few of them had ever managed to so flawlessly push me to my limit. "Shit…" I ran a hand through my tangled hair. "I needed that."

Ogrinn chuckled and slapped his hand down on my thigh before rubbing gently. "You and me both. You let me know any time you want a ride to the Citadel. Hell, I'll take you across the fucking galaxy if you want."

I snorted through the flattery. "Your mate might have something to say about that."

He wrinkled his nose in distaste – which was amusing enough to watch on a turian. Their nostrils fasten shut, and their plates scrunch close to their brows. "I don't give a shit."

"Sounds like such a healthy relationship." Not that I was one to make any judgements, really.

He shrugged, his eyes fixed on the ceiling. "Political match. Marrying her booted my family one up in the hierarchy. My sister needed the status and connections for her big military promotion. And since she's the good one… Well, I can't be a complete disappointment to my name, I suppose."

I nodded and rolled onto my back to stare at the ceiling with sympathetic understanding. "Being with a human is still that big a deal?"

"To some people," he admitted. "That whole first contact incident is still fresh on a lot of military family minds… and we have a _lot_ of military families."

"Yeah… I guess you do." I frowned to myself. The turn of conversation had me thinking over the name I'd borrowed from Nihlus and the man I'd bumped into at the memorial. Then, inevitably, I was thinking of Archangel and his family. "It's crazy."

"Almost as crazy as shouting for a dead mate during sex?" He glanced over to me. "'Garrus' huh?"

I groaned and put my hand over my face. My stomach was doing the tango against my gut, and my eyes were threatening to flood again. This was not a conversation I wanted to have with anyone, least of all a stranger. The wound was still too fresh. I half wondered if it was ever going to scab over.

"I don't mind." To my fortune, Ogrinn seemed happy to let it drop. "Glad I could make you feel good for a minute." He leaned over to grab the bed sheets and pull them over us. "You should get some sleep." With surprising gentleness, he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me against his chest. "You can pretend I'm someone else if you like."

I was way too tired to argue, and I missed Archangel too much to notice the distinct differences in shape and size. It was all too easy to rest my head against Ogrinn's chest and fool myself into believing I could smell Garrus's scent and hear his heartbeat. It was an illusion… I knew it was and I felt stupid and weak for succumbing to it. My rational self kept poking at me, trying to shatter the dream. It called me nasty names in the back of my head… But I didn't care. I couldn't care. It was an illusion, but it was a beautiful one, so I let it lull me into sorrowful sleep.


	23. Chapter 22

**TWENTY -TWO**

"Ok, Mr 'I'm-not-a-smuggler-but-I-have-way-more-than-the-legal-amount-of-red-sand-in-my-cargo-hold'… How does a girl get into the station without announcing her presence?"

Ogrinn paused doing up his trouser buttons to blink at me several times in wide-eyed surprise.

"You snore way too loud for anyone to get a decent sleep. I got bored and wandered off," I admitted with a casual shrug.

He scoffed and shook his head, his attention going back to his buttons. "I thought you were already dressed because you wanted to leave before things got sentimental."

"That too." I glared at him, waiting a long moment for his answer. "Well?" I ended up prompting. "How do I bypass security and immigration?"

"Easier said than done." Ogrinn's mandibles dropped into a frown. "I suppose… I might know a ventilation hatch in the docking bay." He looked me up and down. "Probably a tight fit, but it'll bring you out onto the upper walkways in Zekera Ward." He pointed a taloned finger at me. "But if you get caught, I don't know you."

I raised my hands defensively. "Works for me."

He gave me a long, appraising stare, then, deciding that he could trust me with the secret of the hatch, he beckoned for me to follow him.

I was led off the ship and into the cargo bay. Dock workers were already unloading Ogrinn's more official cargo. I cast a quick eye over the uniformed labourers, but Sid wasn't among them. Not really a surprise. Lady Luck had never favoured me quite _that_ much.

"Here…" Ogrinn took me into the shadows behind a large stack of crates and, with a quick glance around, he reached down to haul one off to the side. On the wall behind, the cover of a ventilation shaft was broken almost free. Ogrinn pulled it back, revealing a very small gap. "Get going."

I frowned, flattered that Ogrinn seemed to so favourably misjudge the width of my hips while simultaneously wondering if my arse would actually get through… Not that I had much choice but to try.

I threw my rucksack into the tube first, then clambered in after it. It was oppressively small. I had to scoot in, my stomach brushing against the floor while my shoulders bumped against the ceiling. With elbows pulled in tight, I was able to shuffle enough to pull my lower half in. With a wince, I felt my hips scrape against the metal siding. I felt Ogrinn give my arse a swat and rolled my eyes. "Dickhead!"

"Good luck, Kid." He was kind enough to lift my feet and give me a hard shove, propelling me properly into the shoot and shutting the broken panel behind me.

I was drowned in pitch darkness and squashed on all sides. I lit my omni-tool, and with a heavy sigh began to squirm forward with all the grace of a worm. Sid was gonna pay twice for this bullshit! Thankfully, I wasn't claustrophobic – I'd found myself in all manner of literal tight spots on Omega – but this was ridiculous! I couldn't lift my head more than a few centimetres without hitting the top of the pipe. My eyes strained trying to look ahead. How long was this damn tube anyway? I probably should have asked before getting in.

It was a slow crawl. My elbows and knees were rubbed raw. My shoulders ached from the effort of dragging myself trough… and it was _hot_. Sweat dripped from my forehead over my eyes. The naked skin of my midriff was sticking to the hot metal beneath me. A lesser-willed person might have given up – called for help if only to get the hell out… but I ignored the burn of my muscles and amused myself thinking of all the foul, cruel things I was going to do to Sid once I got my hands on his leathery neck.

The illuminated clock on my omni-tool ticked hours by. I had to pause a few times just to catch my breath, but finally … _finally_ … I found another broken grating. With a hefty push, I was able to throw it off the wall completely. I pulled myself out and spilt down onto the floor with a pained cry.

"Fuck you, Ogrinn!" I groaned as I tried to rub away the agonising cramp in my legs. I was scorched. Large patches of angry red on my stomach and arms burned as I touched them. Great. Just wonderful.

Shitty as the way in had been, however, my pirate Sugar Daddy had been true to his word. As my eyes adjusted to the sudden light, I glanced around and found myself sitting way above the streets on a maintenance walk. Good thing I wasn't afraid of heights either. The 'floor' beneath me was little more than metal grating. I didn't know where I was exactly, but I was in. There'd be no record of my arrival. Nothing to tip off Sid I was coming for him… Nothing to help C-sec identify the assassin once the deed was done. A broad smile spread over my lips. As far as the Citadel was concerned, I was a ghost.

I took a few minutes to recover from my long crawl, then it was all business fuelled by rage. I had to go quickly. Sid already had way too good a headstart.

At a storming pace, I managed to find my way down to the transport hub. I downloaded a free tourist map and plotted my way back to the hotel where Sid and I had stayed. Unsurprisingly, the bastard had already checked out. From there I found my way to the apartment Sid had expressed the most interest in renting… Empty. He'd never taken it. Fine! A bit of digging in the local directory and I found the agency Sid had gotten work from. One infuriating argument with an Elcor clerk later, however, and I still had nothing. Sid had quit almost as soon as he'd started. The elcor slowly and 'with barely suppressed exasperation' insisted he had no idea where Sid might have gone and even if he did, he wasn't at liberty to disclose the information.

I left the office in a foul mood. All my leads were exhausted. Obviously, Sid wasn't quite as stupid as I'd hoped. He'd known that when I found what he'd done, I'd come back for him. He'd had several days and all the newly ill-acquired wealth he needed to cover his tracks. Bastard!

I hid away down a narrow side alley and tried to think. It was hard. The Citadel was so much bigger than Omega… and obnoxiously bright. I had a headache from all the dazzling fluorescents. My skin still stung from my trip through the tube that morning, and it was now late enough that I was starting to feel the first shreds of weariness.

I ran a hand through my grimy hair. If this was Omega, and my contacts had been exhausted, I'd hit Afterlife and find some new leads there. With a frown, I brought up my tourist map. There might not be an Afterlife on the Citadel, but it definitely had its share of seedy bars. If nothing else, I sure as hell needed the drink.

* * *

Lady Luck and I have an 'on and off' relationship. She likes to keep me on my toes by royally screwing me over once in a while – like throwing me into the path of Archangel, letting me fall crazy for him, then having him offed just a year later – but then, considering how often she throws me massive bones, I guess she has to balance her books somehow. I can respect that… and I'll take every bone I'm given.

I found my sorry arse in a bar called 'Darkstar'. Not quite seedy enough for my taste, but it had its shadowy corners same as any other establishment. I sat at the counter, waving the bartender over periodically to refill my glass. I was nursing my third when a prize walked through the door and into my lap.

I didn't survive Omega this long without learning to read people, and this guy was arrogant enough to be an open book. Human. Rich. With twitchy eyes that got even twitchier around anyone in a c-sec uniform. I watched him like a hawk for several long minutes. His boisterous mannerisms told me he didn't fear the off-duty officers relaxing after their shift, but he didn't like them either… almost as much as he didn't like aliens. A 'businessman', I deduced. A bit more upmarket than the type I was used to dealing with… but a player nonetheless. 'Kelham', his numerous hangers-on called him.

I waited for him to leave with his goons in tow, then paid my tab and slipped out after him.

"BNR 9? You got good taste, Mr."

Kelham's guards turned, their pistols drawn and aimed right in my face. The man himself paused unlocking his vehicle and glanced over at me. A quick look up and down and he thought he knew all my secrets. His mouth curled into a dismissive scoff. "You ain't got nothing I want, kid. Go back to Omega."

I small frown crinkled my lips. I must have stood out more than I thought. "Trust me," I sneered. "Nothing would make me happier. How about you lend a girl a hand, and I can be on my way?"

"Why the hell would I do that?"

I took a cigarette from my trouser pocket and slipped it between my lips. "Because I don't just live on Omega…" I lit it with a burst of flame around my fingers. "I thrive there."

Kelham and his guards gazed at me for a second of shock. Then, slowly, a greedy smile spread over the businessman's lips. I saw my real potential reflected back with murderous intent. He pulled open the door of his vehicle and offered it with a jerk of his head. "Get in the car, kid. We'll talk."

* * *

When people want something from you, it's crazy how nice they get. Kelham put me up at a local motel. A shabby little place by Citadel standards, but cleaner and smarter than anything on Omega. He dropped me off with upfront credits on a cash-in-hand chit and told me to get cleaned up and fed. He'd be by in the morning with details of what he needed doing. Just a little job to start off our 'mutually beneficial arrangements'.

Sure enough, I'd just finished a big convenience store brunch when he turned up on the doorstep. He let himself in without ceremony and handed me a datapad. "Your target…" he announced. "A local small fish is getting too big for his pond. You're gonna teach him a lesson by kicking him where it hurts."

I skimmed over the details. Just an address and a small map showing the surrounding area. "A warehouse…" I scoffed. "You want me to send his merchandise up in smoke, I take it?"

"A little arson should be a piece of cake for you, right?" Kelham pointed a finger in my face. "But you get caught—"

"—Yeah, yeah. You don't know me. I know how this works, Sugar Daddy."

If the nickname bothered him any, he didn't show it. Too eager for me to do as I was told I guessed. "Good. Job pay's two-thousand credits. You'll get it when the work's done."

I handed the pad back, the address already memorised. "Keep your credits. I'll do it for pocket money and a favour."

"A favour, huh?" Kelham took the pad back with suspicious eyes. "What kind?"

"I'm looking for someone. I know he's on the Citadel, but I don't have the contacts or resources to track him. Something tells me you do."

"Boyfriend run out on you?" he taunted.

I levelled him with my best 'don't go there' glare, and, to his credit, Kelham seemed smart enough to heed the warning.

The human gave a small nod, his mouth quirking back into a smile effortlessly. "Sure, Sweetheart. You drop me his name, I'll find him."

"Lantar Sidonis. Turian. He arrived on the Citadel a couple of weeks ago, worked as a dock-loader for a bit, then up and vanished when he heard I was coming."

"A dock-worker? You'll blow up a warehouse for a lousy dock-worker?" As far as Kelham was concerned, he'd hit the jackpot. I could probably ask for more, but hey, working cheap made me look like a good investment… and I liked having appreciative 'friends'.

"I want him alive," I reiterated.

"Whatever you say, kid." Kelham made for the door, apparently unwilling to grace the shittiest part of town with his presence any longer. "You got yourself a deal."


	24. Chapter 23

**TWENTY-THREE**

The cover of night was going to be my best bet. Maybe not literally since the warehouse districts were always pretty dark, but when most of the workers had clocked out for the day and the rats started to scurry onto the scene. They were my real targets anyway.

I did a run around the perimeter, taking note of entrances, exits and the merch coming in and out, then settled down to watch the place from a shadowed crevice between two overly-large buildings. I took my knife from my belt and fiddled with the blade impatiently. Minutes ticked into long hours with nothing to see but the coming and going of supply vans.

This kind of work was usually beneath me. I felt cheap for taking it on in the first place, but a thick, sick swirl of cold and anger had grown heavy in my gut. It was just something else to add to Sid's growing list of crimes. Something else to hate him for. Him and Archangel. With nothing but time to kill, my thoughts were starting to swerve back to the blue-eyed vigilante. And with the need for a clear head, there was no alcohol to blot him out. This was his fault too. He was the one that had dragged me low. I'd never been any kind of high and mighty, but I'd never had to resort to grunt work to get what I wanted. In one fell swoop, Archangel had ruined me – had managed to rid Omega of another piece of scum, this time, without ever lifting his rifle. Arsehole. He couldn't stop being a hero even when he was dead!

Wetness was drowning my eyes. I looked up, trying to pretend that it was just the cold air down here – that I wasn't about to cry. God, it hurt so much! There was a gaping hole in my chest where my shrivelled heart used to be, and no amount of medigel was ever going to close it. I was a dead woman walking. "Fuck you, Garrus. I hope you're in hell too." But who was I kidding? A bitter scoff fled my lips. The locals had named him 'Archangel' for fuck sake.

By the time the last workers had drifted out and clambered into their transports, I'd wrestled my anguish back into the cold, hard rage I needed and directed it at anyone stupid enough to be standing between Sid and me. To my continued fortune, that happened to be Blue Suns. A small horde of them ran security on the place. Well – I grinned wide – that was just fucking perfect!

I sheathed my knife and dusted my hands down on my trousers. I was about to make my move when my omni-tool chimed with a call. People never call me. They leave messages, sometimes marked 'urgent'… but they never call. I frowned at the name on the screen and edged deeper into the crevice for cover. "You're a shitty mob boss if you think you can call your hit lady mid-job."

"Don't get cute," Kelham snipped, glaring me down through his camera. "I'm doing you a favour. I looked up that turian you're so eager to get your hands on. His trail vanishes after he quit his job—"

"—I know! That was why I hooked up with you!"

"—Shut up for two seconds and listen to me, smart-mouth! The only way to vanish _that_ well is to take a new ID… _illegally_. There's only one forger that could pull off a job like this, and you're about to blow his warehouse to kingdom come. Since he's probably working the late shift, you might wanna ease up on the pyrotechnics until you have what you need."

I leaned against the wall behind me, lips pursing. A lash of irritation stoked flames already primed into vindictive spite. "'Working the late shift' huh?" I tutted theatrically and shook my head. "Mr Kelham, you wouldn't be trying to get freebies out of me, would you? 'Cause my assassination rates don't usually market that low."

"You're the one who just wanted a name and pocket money."

"You didn't tell me you were trying to get someone killed! That's a whole other barrel of tactics and shit-ton more danger. You want this guy dead? You better cough up those credits plus a tasty bonus."

Kelham scowled at me, his brow wrinkling already small eyes almost shut. "Or what?"

 _Big_ mistake. "Aside from phoning in an anonymous tip to c-sec about who might have paid for an arson job recently? Why don't I leave this guy alive and drop him your name? Better yet… why don't I see what kind of deal this forger and I can work out? You got insurance cover for fire on that fancy ass car of yours? 'Cause right now, I need his goodwill a hell of a lot more than I need yours!"

"Alright, fine! You made your point, bitch." His attention was drawn off-screen for a moment. "There. It's transferred. Now, how about you shut the hell up and do your damn job!" The holo-screen shut itself off as he cut the call. A quick peep of the balance on my credit chit and I found myself re-reading the number with wide eyes. Kelham had doubled his offer. That was more credits than I typically saw in a year back home. Even without a fiery reputation, it seemed I had some wiggle room to work with. With a cold smirk, I tucked the chit back into my pocket. Maybe there was something to be said for the Citadel after all.

* * *

Blue Suns are pretty much Blue Suns wherever they hang out. Standard equipment. Standard tactics. Usual stupid. Sneaking in was child's play. A throat slit here, a headshot there, a quick tumble through that ventilation shaft on the left before jumping up and over a heap of crates. When I got into the warehouse proper, the shipping containers just made it that much easier. A maze-like warren of crevices and tiny openings just big enough for a skinny Omega-rat to crawl through to avoid detection—

—An alarm went off. I froze where I was, squeezed between to large steel walls. My stomach leapt up into my throat to choke me. For a long moment, I crouched, straining my ears to listen. Heavy booted footsteps rushed back the way I'd come. With a frown of frantic confusion, I dared to bring up my Omni-tool and hack into their comms. Barking orders filled my ear-piece. The building had gone into lock-down! An intruder – for just a moment I panicked – had burst in through the front door with no more finesse than a Krogan in heat.

I blinked a few times in shock before my adrenaline kicked down to a processable level. Not me. They hadn't detected me. Someone else was hitting the warehouse on the exact same night at the exact same time? I rolled my eyes. "Lady Luck, you fickle whore!" She really did love to fuck with me. Still… perhaps this could work to my advantage? I squirmed up to the edge of the container and took a careful peep around the corner. Whoever had come in the front – a commando squad the Blue Suns thought – had drawn all the attention. The clearing in front of me was completely deserted. Score. I crouched, checked my six, then bolted across the space and into another narrower opening.

I shuffled side-step down the passage and came out next to a security room with just one guard left behind to keep watch. For a moment he was shocked to see me appear in front of him, but that moment cost his life. I grabbed his gun just as he raised it towards me, turned into it and with the momentum landed a swift, flaming kick to his stomach. Winded, the merc doubled over. I brought my knife over my head and slammed neatly into place where helmet met chest-piece. Spine severed, the man went down in silent death.

He had a security code on his omni-tool. I used it to break into the system. "Ok…What have we got to work with?" I skimmed the system with narrow eyes. "Inside schematic? Yes please." My device pinged as it downloaded. A quick skim showed me the main office was at the back of the block. Still a way to go all things considered… and still heavily fortified even with reinforcements being sent to the front of the house. Mechs, minefields, security cameras…? Someone was expecting a party.

I looked back at the terminal and brought the surveillance camera's up on screen. "Where are you…?" What was that Krogan saying? Look for the enemy of your enemy to find a friend…?

They weren't hard to find, going all kinds of seventh hell on the place as they were. Three of them. A human woman, a turian and… was that a drell? I squinted at the small specs on the fuzzy, flickering camera. Someone had cheaped out on their security systems. Well, that worked for me just fine. I brought up the system menu, and with a few quick taps, I managed to disable the minefield and the cameras. The mechs were on another circuit, but best to leave something to keep these guys behind me. I logged out of the terminal, then brought a flaming fist down through the screen. That ought to put things into my favour.

"Thanks, Sweetheart." I stepped over the dead security guard and back out into the warehouse. "Couldn't have done it without you."

Finding my way through was much easier with a schematic to hand, but it didn't help me much when, several tight squeezes later, I came to a withdrawn bridge over a sharp drop. "Fuck!"

Terminal security was much tighter here. Some clever dickbag had thought to log out and encrypt it. The gunshots behind me were growing louder – closer. If I wasn't fast, I'd run into the damn commandos! I shouldn't have helped them so damn much. Fuck, they were good! Too good to be the usual range of mercs. Professional bounty hunters, maybe? I cast a nervous glance over my shoulder as I tried, again and again, to push past the security on the console. What the hell were they here for? What had this forger done to get himself tangled up in military-grade specialists?

"Crap!" I slammed my hands against the screen as the console locked me out, giving me nothing but a large red 'error' mark. I never was much of a tech expert. An explosion shuddered too close for comfort. I could feel the heat of fire at my back, and with a leap of fright, I dove down behind a pile of crates and held my breath. They were on top of me!

Sure enough, they rounded the corner just as I tucked my heels out of sight. I leaned back and out of the way, unable to see them, but pretty sure – praying – they couldn't see me either.

"Fade must be over that bridge…" She wasn't even wearing a helmet. Her crisp, authoritative tone shook over the surrounding steel with utter fearlessness. I felt a tingle in the air above me – a tingle that, after years working in close proximity to Aria, I'd learned to associate with powerful biotics. In a human, power like that was almost unheard of.

"Harkin won't get away with this…"

My stomach dropped, taking all the colour and heat from my body with it. With a burst behind my ribs, my heart began to pound, wild and untameable. _That voice_ … I shook my head violently. I was losing my shit. I'd spent so long moping over Archangel and getting high to drown the pain, that I was starting to hear similarities in all turian voices. There was no way… No possible way…

"The console's been locked out. Garrus, get over here. See if you can force it."

Shit. _Shit!_ No. I wouldn't believe it. I couldn't—

But vain, pitiful, pathetic hope blossomed, fragile as a new-born. With painfully slow, careful movements, I turned and lifted my head – just enough that my eyes could peer over the top of the crates.

That… was no bounty hunter. Even I knew the infamous Commander Shepard. Her picture was on lunch boxes for fuck sake! Thick black hair falling from a messy bun on the back of her head. Olive skin. Dark emerald eyes. Her custom green and gold armour… legendary! She was alive? And swapping thermal clips with a dark-eyed, leather-clad drell? He looked vaguely familiar – like I'd seen him on Omega once or twice. If my memory served, usually with the shadiest of people.

Standing just behind them was the turian. His back was to me as he tried to fix the fuck up I'd done on the console. Tall. Broad in the shoulder. Pale plated with blue and black armour, heavily scorched.

I clasped a hand to my mouth to stifle the cry of utter disbelief… but it wasn't enough for drell senses. I saw his rifle come up from the corner of my eye and threw myself to the ground, fully expecting my head to explode just for startling the guy. It didn't. There wasn't even a gunshot. Thank God for professionals.

"Who's there?" Shepard's voice was an inescapable command. "Come out where we can see you."

My heart was pounding. My world turned upside down in the blink of an eye. Of the three people out there, two I knew were meant to be pushing up daisies, so… where the hell did that leave me? Was I dead? Had someone got in a lucky shot when I wasn't looking? Or maybe, in my spiralling grief, I'd actually overdosed somewhere along the line? I shook my head to myself as a rush of confusion sent my head spinning. This was insane. Impossible! Maybe I should just stand up and let them take the shot. What did it matter? But _hope_. God damned hope forced me to breathe. "And have a bullet put through my skull for my trouble? No thanks. I didn't get by this long by doing as I was told."

"You have to the count of three to come out, then I'm _making_ you come out." She really was as bitchy in person as she seemed on the news.

I could feel all three rifles pointed right at me. Her biotics were primed. One wrong move and this would all end in one very ironic tragedy.

"One…"

"You don't want to be threatening me, Commander." I tore the silver cross from around my neck and held it up over the crates. "Archangel can tell you why that's a bad idea."

I knew his gun so well that I recognised the click of the safety being flicked into place. "Maggie?" God, please let that be want on his tone.

With very, very slow movements and hands raised towards the sky, I pushed myself up onto my feet and turned. My eyes flew wide. My stomach twisted. The silver cross slipped from my fingers and landed with a soft chime against the floor. "Garrus! Your face!"

* * *

 **AN: I've been crazy excited about writing and releasing this chapter. I hope I did it justice! Huge thanks to everyone who's been leaving reviews & feedback, I seriously appreciate it. I am feeling the love. :D **


	25. Chapter 24

**TWENTY-FOUR**

In hindsight, not the best choice of opening words for our miraculous reunion… but fucking hell! Half of it was bloody well missing! A great grey bandage tried to hide the worst but scorches webbed over his mouth and up beneath his eye. More angry marks cut deep into the hide of his neck before vanishing beneath the collar of his under-suit. I gaped in horror – also not the best way to start things off.

Archangel's steel eyes hardened and, to my horror, he raised his rifle again and pointed it straight at my chest. "Where's Sidonis?" Hateful rage reserved only for the foulest of Omega scum dripped on every syllable and cut into the hope still trying to revive me. Oh, God…! He thought I was in on it with that yellow-bellied bastard? Revulsion sent a cold chill through my blood, dousing my every inner-flame. I shuddered. Why wouldn't he? Of the twelve of us that had worked for him, only two had managed to escape the attack unscathed.

"Friend of yours?" Shepard wasn't lowering her assault rifle either. I eyed the battered weapon warily. She was a vanguard, then?

The turian faltered. It wasn't detectable in any expression on his face, but I knew him well enough to hear it in his hesitation. If he knew what I was to him… he'd answer.

"I'm not with Sid," I blurted, seizing the opportunity. "I swear to fucking God almighty, Angel, I had no idea what he was planning. If I had, I'd have gutted him myself!"

"Would you?" Sharp teeth clenched. He spoke with such a growl and hiss the translator couldn't filter it all. "We both know what you'd do for credits, Maggie. You warned me yourself, trusting you is insane."

"Lucky you're a frikin nutcase then, ain't it!" The words spouted out of my mouth before I could think about them. The shock of seeing him, whole… ish… was wearing thin. Emotion strangled at me. A tangled confusion of anger and hurt that I couldn't possibly control. I gestured wildly at the bridge still drawn up behind him. "I came here trying to track Sid down! I was going to avenge you!"

He still wasn't sure. His thumb reached as if ready to pull back the safety again, but paused just shy.

"You were the only one to ever accuse me of being a good person – the only one that cared to even look, and you were dead!" I let my hands fall, defeated. He wouldn't believe me…? After everything, I was still just another Omega-rat to him. And why not? What had I ever said or done to prove otherwise? He'd offered me everything, and I'd spat in his face. Well fine. If I was going to die, I'd like it to be him. At least I'd know something of mercy. I caught his gaze and let him see as I stood down… let him see my surrender. I wasn't going to run from him. Not this time. "The only thing keeping me going was thinking of all the ways I was going to make Sid hurt." I gestured at him. "And Garrus, if he thinks you're dead too, then it ain't you he's hiding from… is it?"

A decision was made. A choice so loud and monumental, I felt it shift the very path of my life under my feet. Archangel's thumb fell back to his weapon. Garrus lowered his rifle. For a moment he just looked at me, grey eyes filling with the same angry hurt and confusion that clouded my head. Then he stooped and picked up the silver cross from the floor. It was handed back to me with short, sharp movements. For the briefest moment, his fingers brushed mine – warm, and real and most definitely alive. "If you're going after Sidonis, you may as well tag along."

I scoffed and hung the crucifix around my neck. "Baby, please. If anyone's 'tagging along' it's you. This ain't justice, Archangel…" I glared up at him, the fire of hatred filling my eyes. "…It's vengeance."

* * *

He got us over the bridge as Shepard tried to give me a lecture about following orders. I stuck my middle finger up at her, then raced over the drop and up onto some shipping containers. This was my show. Mine and Archangels. It had nothing to do with her and hell would freeze before I took orders from some random soldier bitch – hero or otherwise. "Race you!" I barked to Archangel, my knife already clasped in my hand as I sprinted and jumped from crate to crate. Besides, Garrus might have been off the mark a touch, but he was right about one thing… I did have an ulterior motive – one I doubted the 'hero of the Citadel' would approve of.

I got several strides ahead of them before meeting my first Blue Suns. But knowing I had three allies behind me meant I could change tactics. It meant I could cut loose – use up some of this wild, emotion jolting through my bones. It was something like fear, but so closely mixed with euphoria, I didn't know where one started and the other began anymore. Just a swirling mass of passion and a desperate need to kill something.

My blade came up on instinct and lashed at both their throats before they even knew I was there. I heard the crack of Archangel's rifle and another crumpled at my feet with a bullet between his eyes. We were like clockwork. I was hyper-aware of him – of where he was and how many rounds he had left – and he knew me. He knew how I moved and ran. He knew which targets to let me get and which to pick off before they came too close. I snatched up a thermal clip and tossed it over my shoulder without looking. Another shot rang out second later. It clipped the shields off the vanguard I was toe-to-toe with before striking the chest of the engineer just ahead. With a savage grin, I sunk the blade between my opponent's armour and sliced deep into his lungs. I saw his eyes go wide. I saw him fumble for the medigel, then threw a flaming push, knocking him and two others back from me. The fire burned – through my blood and over a canister that exploded a short way in front. I was alive. Archangel was alive. How the hell was I supposed to process that?

A whoosh in the air next to me and I turned in time to see Shepard's green and gold armour slam into another vanguard. A primal roar ripped from her throat. She followed up with a swift strike of her omni-blade. His shields were down. Another shot – not from Angel's rifle, the pitch was off – and the foe was dispatched with perfect accuracy. Shepard had expected it. She was already smashing her head into the visor of her next target – a grunt who looked almost awe-struck to be killed by her. I confess, the small, tiniest slither that was distracted by the display might have been impressed.

We reached the back office much faster than even I'd expected. I was panting as we mounted the raised platforms. Shepard signalled for us to split. She and the drell went left. I followed Garrus right.

I wasn't the only one to feel the frenzy of the fight. Archangel was back in all his glory. I watched him work – watched him throw 'Fade' about like a toy – and revelled in his return. For a moment, I allowed myself to believe it was really him. Was this what he'd done to Daniels? God, I wished I'd seen it. He got everything we needed and more without even breaking a sweat. Just like old times. Angel drew out his pistol, took aim—

"—You don't need to shoot him." Shepard's arm snatched at Angel's wrist, pulling his pistol back a notch. "He won't be able to hide from C-sec now."

What. The. Fuck? I blinked a few times in sheer shock, then again as Garrus actually lowered his gun. Archangel didn't take orders! He sure as hell didn't spare low-life shit-heads like this arsehole. I saw a glimmer of the vigilante return long enough to smack his plated head into Harkin's nose, but then he turned away and sauntered out, following after Shepard and hissing some threat about coming back to finish the job if the lead didn't follow through. I just stood there, stunned. Fade had the nerve to make a snide comment, and I brought my knee up, slamming it into his gut and knocking him back to the floor.

Garrus didn't look back. He either expected me to follow him… or he didn't care if I did or not. My heart sank in my chest, then hardened over. Fine. I didn't know what the hell was going on. It felt like reality had been turned inside out, but I had a job to do. I'd already been paid, and right now did not feel like a good time to be burning bridges. I stomped my foot down on Harkin's chest, keeping him pinned to the floor while I watched Garrus, Shepard and the drell get far enough ahead that they were almost around the corner… then I drew my pistol and put a bullet in Fade's brain.

The shot made the team stop and glance back in alarm. Shepard opened her mouth, her expression ready to rip me a new one, even from across the hall. But Garrus was already grabbing her arm and pulling her into a run. He'd caught the purpose in my stride. He knew it meant I was about to do something he deemed royally stupid. Shepard and the drell were smart enough to follow his urgings as he yelled at them to go.

I watched them run and gave them a count of ten before gathering all of the fire in my blood and pushing it out and upwards in one great push. I felt the power latch onto one of the crates of fuel moving overhead… and pulled.

It fell, spilling its contents in a great wave that splashed up the side of canisters and crates before erupting with fire. I watched the blaze climb, enthralled, my heart thudding like a primal drum behind my ribs. The smell of smoke and hot orange infernos had always driven me wild. The power of it filled the warehouse and sang to whatever was in my blood that allowed me to command it.

My trance cost me. I screamed as a canister exploded all too close to my left sending shrapnel into my leg. The fuel splashed onto my clothes, igniting them. I activated my equivalent of a biotic barrier to defend myself, but not before taking a nasty burn to my flank. "Shit!" It was time to go, preferably before the other two crates of fuel broke from their grips and tumbled down to feed the hungry blaze.

I raced down from the platform and vaulted over crates with adrenaline pounding in my ears. Squeezing between large containers, I managed to retrace my steps back over the bridge and out into the street. I skidded out of the door to the tune of an almighty explosion behind me and fell straight into waiting talons.

Archangel threw me against the wall of a nearby factory the way he'd done to Fade and hissed into my face. "What the fuck was that?"

I squirmed against the tight grip. The feel of his fingers was sending hot spikes of sensation rippling over my skin. "Come on, Angel. You know how I operate. I had to make a lot of devil's bargains to get this far." I smiled up at him. "Don't tell me you're upset about Harkin. I know you better than that."

Archangel glared me down, steel blue gaze fixated on my face as his sense of duty wrestled with the primal passion that had drawn him to Omega in the first place. He didn't know what to do with me. He still wasn't entirely sure what to make of my abrupt return… but he still wanted me. I saw it in the flare of his nostrils and the overly-tight grit of his sharp teeth.

"You could have gotten us all killed!" Shepard put in her two-pence worth, and I rolled my eyes. She hovered close, scowling with arms folded over her chest, her power making the air taste like electric.

"Considering how fast you got into that place, I figured outrunning a little fire would be no problem." I shifted against Archangel's hold enough to cast her a malicious smile. "Besides, you're already dead. What the hell can I possibly do to you?"

She pulled her gun on me and aimed it right in my face. I had to give her a little more credit, the woman was badass. I cast a glance at Garrus. "Y'know, I'm starting to get why you're so into her. She's got a quad and a spare!"

The pistol was knocked against my jaw. "You pull shit like that again…" She growled low enough to make a turian tremble. "…and finding Sidonis will be the least of your worries."

"Go fuck yourself. I don't take orders from you."

Archangel lifted me enough to slam me back against the wall again. "No, but you take them from me—"

"—Since when?" I shot back venomously. "I never do as I'm told. I only did as you asked because it suited me at the time."

"Then why bother blowing up the warehouse for your 'employer'."

"Because I pay my debts!"

I was thrown down, his hands letting go of me abruptly as my skin began to heat up. Archangel glared at me with lethal fury for the second time in a single night. "Well then, if what you've said tonight is true, you owe Shepard a pretty huge one."

I frowned, my brow wrinkling in confusion. "What the hell are you talking about?"

He took a step back and let me scramble to my feet. "She's the one that pulled me out of the fire on Omega. I'd be dead otherwise."

My heart gave a sickening leap and dropped into my stomach. I cast a look over the scars on his face. "What…?" I stumbled on the question I wasn't sure I wanted answering. "What happened?"

"Tarak got the jump on me. I took one of his gunship rockets."

I snorted with inappropriate amusement. It was all I had to hide from the terrible, haunting images he'd put into my head. I should have been there! "Jesus, Angel. Didn't they teach you to duck in vigilante school?" The only possible follow-up to that scenario suddenly caught up to me, and I turned narrowed eyes on Shepard. "Then… you're the one that shot Tarak down?"

She holstered her pistol. "Yes."

"Ah, hell no!" Rolling my eyes and tangling frustrated fingers into my hair, I turned away and began to march towards the transport hub. "Now I fucking owe you two!"

* * *

 **AN: This chapter was proofread while the awesome Felix Jr was jabbering in my ear. Apologies if I missed any errors!**


	26. Chapter 25

**TWENTY-FIVE**

There was no way in hell I was letting Archangel go after Sidonis without me. By the time he, Shepard and the drell caught up, I was leaning against the hood of their car waiting for them.

The drive was awkward. The quiet dripped with unspoken tension rising between Archangel and his old 'mentor'. She seemed to disapprove of his hunt with quiet, seething anger. Personally, I didn't see why it was any of her business. Garrus didn't need her. He'd done fine on his own these past two years. He'd beaten Omega into submission for fuck sake!

We landed on a ledge high above the street where Fade had arranged to meet with Sid. But Shepard didn't unlock the car doors. "You sure you want to do this?" She was glaring out ahead of us, not even brave enough to look the turian in the eye.

He was still Archangel enough to be enraged by her words. "Who else is going to bring him to justice if I don't? No one else knows what he's done. No one else cares!"

I leaned forward from the back seat. "I care. I'm here, aren't I? Come on already. It's open season on this son of a bitch!"

Shepard opened her mouth as if to argue, but I'd called him out and made steel blue eyes harden with familiar ferocity. Archangel opened the car and climbed out. "I can get a clear shot from over there. You keep him talking." I much preferred when he was giving the orders. He turned his gaze from Shepard to me. "Maggie, I know you want to go all kinds of hell on him, but you should stick with me. If Sid sees you, he'll bolt."

I swung my legs out of the car and joined Archangel on the ledge. "Hey, as long as he gets a bullet in his skull, I'm fine with it."

Shepard spent another long moment glaring at us both, defiance in her eyes, then shut up the car and drove it off.

"She's not going to fuck this up, is she?" I followed as Angel made his way to the edge and began to set up his rifle – the same one he'd used on Omega, I noticed.

"She can't." He tested his gaze through the scope. "This is my decision, and I'll live with the consequences."

He spoke with all the stubborn determination I needed to hear. I could feel the anger rolling off him – the same righteous dedication to his cause that had bested Daniels and so many other low-life scum. Just like always. God, I'd missed him so much! I was looking at him, knelt right there in front of me, but part of me still couldn't believe that he was alive. Before I could think on it, I'd reached out, my hands needing to touch him – to feel the warmth of his skin. The nearest was the leathery hide on the back of his neck.

Archangel went still. For a moment, he seemed to allow the intimate touch… then with a barely-suppressed growl, he launched his attack. "You reek of sex."

My heart leapt into my throat. I'd showered since Ogrinn, but turian senses – especially their four bloody nostrils – had always knocked a human's way out of the race. For the first time in my whole life, I felt a prickle of shame for my day job like needles in my face. I let my hand fall, anger and a hint of resentment hardening my heart. "I had to get to the Citadel. It's not like I have a lot to bargain with."

He turned his head just a fraction to peer at me over the edge of his carapace. Before he could say anything, Shepard's voice echoed over the comm. "We've arrived. Do you see him?"

Archangel went back to work, his blue eye peering down his scope. "There he is."

I craned my neck, leaning over him to get a look. My heart thudded. Lavender markings and a fancy blue and red suit. Sid was a little thinner than when I'd seen him last, and he fidgeted nervously, his posture slumped over.

"Wave him over and keep him talking," Angel instructed.

Shepard did as she was told. She'd even been clever enough to put her helmet on to avoid being recognised. I watched as Sid caught her signal and with a quick glance left and right, he rose to his feet and skulked towards her.

"You're in my shot. Move to the side."

But Shepard didn't move. She stood there… _talking_. Bile rose in my throat. How dare she. How _dare_ she! I heard Sid's voice over the comm, making all manner of ridiculous excuses. "They got to me, told me they'd kill me if I didn't help!"

"Bullshit!" I pointed an accusing finger over the ledge. "He asked me about selling info to mercs. He just wanted to get back to a cushy Citadel life! Damn the consequences."

Angel tightened his grip on his rifle. "Let me take the shot, Shepard. He's a damn coward!"

I clenched my fists in rage as Shepard allowed the pathetic little shit to keep talking, to whine and complain about the hollowness of his life, about the weight of the guilt on his shoulders, like he had any right to. "Oh, cry me a fucking river!" He deserved it. He deserved every inch of his pain and so much more. I'd spent tears mourning Angel when I'd thought he was dead. And even with his miraculous survival, what about Mel and Monty? The only two people in the galaxy that had been friends to me without expecting anything in return. I thought of Gavorn – of watching the once-proud Captain crumble into a flood of tears and booze and vomit. Sid didn't have a fucking clue what it was to suffer. Even now, Archangel was offering a quick, merciful death he didn't deserve.

But as Shepard made a case for Sid – a plea for his very soul – I saw Archangel falter. Through the back and forth bickering, he wore down until I was watching in horror as Garrus actually considered it. His rage evaporated into pain. Into _guilt_. He took on Sid's sins and bore them like they were his own. I shook my head, wide-eyed and disbelieving. How the hell could he blame himself? This wasn't his weight to take! Fucking hell...!

"Just…go. Tell him to go." This universe didn't deserve this man.

"You have _got_ to be joking!"

But Garrus was already pushing himself back onto his feet and shouldering his rifle. "Forget it, Maggie. Shepard is right. Killing Sid won't change anything. It won't bring them back." He tried to walk by me. He wouldn't even meet my eye.

In a fit of rage, I grabbed the back of his cowl and hurled him around. I slammed him face-first into the nearest wall, my knee digging into his lower back. "It'll make me feel better!" I hissed into his turian ear. With a hard push, I forced him to stagger away.

I turned, unable to look at him, too disgusted with what I saw. This wasn't my Archangel! He didn't let crooks like Sid walk free, and he didn't take orders from nosey, self-righteous human bitches! He'd have fought through hellfire to avenge those that meant the most to him. Didn't we matter? Did any of it matter, or were we just an amusement to pass the time while his precious 'mentor' was off being dead?

"Maggie…" There was that tender voice – the voice ready to forgive me and put everything behind us. Ready to offer comfort I didn't want. A pair of talons rested on my shoulder.

I shook him off with a violent shrug. "Don't touch me!" I turned on him, my skin practically glowing with flame. "You fucking coward. Everything we did… Everything _I_ did to get here, to avenge you and the others and you throw it all away because Shepard told you to? You have no idea what I suffered!" I shook my head and backed away from him, horrified and furious. "You're not Archangel. I don't know who the fuck you are!"

There was hurt in his shocked expression. I might as well have knifed him. But I didn't care. I couldn't care. It would have been better if he were dead! I hated the words the moment I thought them, but I couldn't stop it circling as wild, furious tears gathered in my eyes. I'd wept for him. I'd mourned him! I'd fucked and killed to avenge him, but he couldn't pull one bloody trigger? To hell with him. Avenging angel my arse!

So, I turned, and I walked away. I walked away from my angel. As always, he didn't shout or follow after me. He just stood there and let me go. For the first time in my life… I wished he would. I wished we could fight and fuck until we'd worked it out – until I'd dug under his skin and pulled my hero out from whatever dark shadow of the turian's heart he'd retreated to. But he didn't, and I didn't know if that meant he still loved me not.

* * *

I found myself back at the motel room I'd got from Kelham. I stripped off my burnt, tattered clothes and stood under the spray of a hot shower so I could pretend I wasn't crying my sorry eyes out. I screamed so I wouldn't have to listen to myself sob. I was betrayed. The man I'd dared to love had stuck a fucking blade in my chest. Archangel was gone. He was really gone… and the creature standing in his shell didn't deserve the title… Didn't deserve _me_. Fists clenched and slammed against the tilework, cracking it. Fuck!

Once my tears were spent, I found I'd slipped back into that cold, empty space I'd been existing in before. I'd reached a kind of momentary apathy that allowed me to make some semblance of a plan. It wasn't a great plan by any stretch of the word, but it was a plan: Leave before Kelham came back to rope me into more jobs and find somewhere to drink myself into an early grave. If I could find a dealer while I was at it, all the better. With a vague destination in mind, I slunk into the shadows and tried to find my way back to that dingy under-market I'd stumbled upon when staying with Sid. The place that reminded me of Omega.

It wasn't hard to retrace my steps. I also found a bar that wasn't on the tourist map. A nasty little place tucked in the corner and selling moonshine so strong it could knock the socks off a krogan. I sat there, drinking my brain away and buying any narcotic that was offered to me until I was so dead inside, I no longer knew what day it was. I no longer cared. I slept in nooks and crevices then went back as soon as the door opened to do the same again. I think I wanted to die.

"Is this really how you're going to go?" A derisive snort jump-started an angry fire in my chest. "From what Garrus has told me about you, I'd really expected a _lot_ better."

I was almost passed out on some piss-smelling floor. I managed to crack open one bleary eye and gaze up at the provoker. "Shepard. Unless you want to be dead again, you better get the fuck out of my sight." My words were painfully slurred. She might not even have understood them, but she recognised the tone of threat.

An eyebrow arched at me. "And if that had come from the woman I fought next to against Fade, I might actually be concerned. But this… washed up Omega-slut? I think I'm good."

"Go to hell."

"Plan to." She crouched down, her dark green eyes burning into me. "And I could use a woman like the one Garrus described to make sure we get back in one piece…" Lifting her arm, she used her omni-tool to transfer details to me. "You think you might be able to dig her up, you let me know."

"What…? Wait…!"

She'd turned on her heel, ready to leave me to my vomit and headaches, but at my call, she paused and glanced back over her shoulder. I noticed then that she was out of armour. A short black dress and heels. A tattoo peeked out from under the shoulder straps. The Grim Reaper? Oh… right… A 'spectre'. "Garrus is going where? What hell? What are you talking about?"

"The Omega Four relay," she told me shortly. "I plan to hit the Collector homeworld."

"That's fucking suicide!"

"Why do you think I'm gathering freaks like you? I figure the more I have at my back, the more likely we are to make it out alive."

I scoffed, and, by a series of miracles alone I was able to yank myself up off the floor and into a sit. I leaned my back against an equally foul wall and glared up at her. "You want to take Garrus to his death… but you wouldn't let him take out one fucking traitor? You're a bitch."

"Sparing Sidonis was not about saving _his_ worthless hide. I ever see him, I'll put a bullet or two in him myself."

I frowned, confusion and anger marring my already broken thoughts. "Hypocrite. What the fuck is your problem?"

Shepard turned back and took the few short strides to close the space between us. In another instant, she was crouched down in front of me, her hand braced on the wall by my head so she could lean in and spit her words at me. "If you think for one second that I don't know Garrus Vakarian like my own self, you are sorely mistaken. He's one of the best things in this screwed up galaxy, and I consider myself fucking fortunate to call him my friend. He is a spirit of justice in a painfully unjust existence… but he is _not_ a murderer. Being a murderer would corrupt the very essence of what makes him shine just that bit brighter than the rest." She pointed her finger in my face. "And _that_ , Magdalene Kyrick, is when you would lose your precious Archangel." With that parting bombshell, she got back to her feet and glared down at me like I was scum on the street – which, if I was honest, wasn't an unfair assessment. After a long moment of chastisement, however, I saw something marginally more amiable cross her features. "You though…? You're more like me."

I scoffed. Laughed at the insane idea that I was 'like' this crazy bitch. But then, the more my slow, drunk brain thought about it… _shit_! She was already walking away, her heels clicking obnoxiously against the pavement. "What am I the spirit of then?" It wasn't a serious question. If anything, I was just trying to throw her off her game – taunt her for her melodrama.

But Shepard was too good for that. Without a falter, without even pausing her stride, she threw her answer back at me like it was obvious. "Vengeance."


	27. Chapter 26

**TWENTY-SIX**

Garrus was going to die. In the hours while I sobered up, I became utterly sure of it. The idea of him going through that relay with Shepard made all my fires turn cold with terror. There was no point trying to argue with him. The bastard was loyal to a fault and Shepard was his first love, whatever he would or wouldn't admit. Once my eyes had cleared enough to read, I went over the details Shepard had passed to me. From the looks of it, she'd been putting together one hell of a team, but her mission… holy crap! The woman was a fucking mental case if she thought she could pull that off!

The Normandy was currently resupplying. Shepard was running a few errands for other crewmen, but after that, she was shipping out – with or without me. Fuck. I tossed and turned trying to sleep in another cheap motel room, but in the end, I found myself sitting on the edge of the bed, a glass of cold water pressed to my head as I tried to fight the mother of all hangovers. I was thinking of Garrus and everything Shepard had said about him. She was poetic for a soldier… and irritatingly insightful. I began to wonder if Garrus had learned that trick from her all along.

I wracked my brains trying to remember some time when the turian had lost control – when he'd killed someone out of spite rather than for 'the greater good'… but there wasn't one. Not a single instance. He killed viciously – but always with a just measure of violence. An eye for an eye. Even when he'd killed Daniels, it wasn't really personal. Not for him. Hell, we hadn't even hooked up at that point. He was just… cleaning house…enthusiastically.

I heaved a sigh and drank down some of the water. It was a painfully fine line. Not one I was entirely familiar with either. Had Shepard really meant to save Archangel by sparing Sid? I frowned. It's not like she had anything personal to gain from letting that scumbag live. It was a painfully grey area… and I didn't know what I was meant to do with it. Pursing my lips, I put the tumbler on the side table. Fine. Then maybe it was time to take stock of the things I did know…

One. Shepard was a bitch, but, admittedly, a badass one. And maybe, just maybe, we had one or two shared ideals that made it marginally easier to respect her.

Two. Garrus was going to die. Well, maybe not. But he was going on a fucking suicide mission. Was I really about to sit here and just wave him off like the last year meant nothing to me?

Three. He did mean something to me. Fuck it. By now even I couldn't deny that he meant the whole damn galaxy. I didn't know if we could ever get back to what we'd almost had on Omega, but… maybe… he could be my 'mentor'? And then, maybe…? I shook my head in frustration.

Was it crazy to hope I might find something better if I went along? Something that didn't involve fucking for my supper and playing merc bosses off against each other? Could I actually become someone useful? I found myself thinking of Nihlus. He'd given me his name because he felt there was something in me worth protecting – worth lifting up. Didn't I owe it to his memory – to his name – to at least try? If I died being a hero, well… then I died a hero, regardless of who I'd once been. Wasn't that better than dying on a urine-soaked floor in a back alley?

A few minutes of empty, pensive silence passed before I found the courage to bring up my omni-tool and compose a message. I re-read it several times before hitting the send button… then I laid back against the sheets and stared at the ceiling. Minutes ticked into long, fretful hours. An alarm buzzed. My omni-tool pinged with a response. I read it over, then let out a long breath that had been trapped in my lungs. I swung my legs out of bed and forced myself up onto unsteady feet. "Girl, we got work to do…"

* * *

What I needed, the market – and the credits I'd got from Kelham – supplied. I braved a visit to a small clinic to fix up the lingering gashes and burns from my trip through the warehouse. There was an infection or two to clear up from where I hadn't bothered to bandage the wounds properly. A small obligatory lecture from the doctor and I was home free. Next, I stopped by a salon where an overly flirtatious asari was only too happy to fix my hair. "Do you want more pink, honey?" She cooed, running her blue fingers through the long locks like I was some pet dog. "Or I've got some fabulous 'nebula purple'—"

"—Red," I told her shortly. "As bloody and crimson as you've got."

She smiled and with all the usual irritating chatter and small talk, set about trimming away the burnt ends, the matted knots and re-styling it.

Finally, clothes. My omega outfit not only stank, but it was also charred and falling apart. I had just the replacement in mind. Fortune favoured me. The red jacket I'd spied back when I was exploring here the first time was still in stock. I slipped it on over black leather trousers, knee-high boots, a short top Aria would have been jealous of, and admired myself in the full-length mirror on the back of the motel room door. The silver crucifix hung over my breast. I'd pulled my newly-red hair – freshly adorned with new shiny beads and shrapnel – into a messy ponytail. A little dark liner on my eyes to bring out the fire… Yeah. I could work with this. It was a little classier than I usually dressed, but I liked it. I wondered, as I packed my belongings into my bag, if Garrus would.

I paid my motel bill and began the walk up to a more respectable part of the Citadel where I could catch a cab without running the risk of getting mugged by the driver. The elevator rides were dull, but I amused myself checking the news and reading all the articles relating to a certain fire in a certain warehouse district. A smug smile pulled at my lips as I found the reports were classing it as an accidental industrial fire. I wondered if I'd actually been that good, or if Shepard and her newly-restored spectre status had something to do with it. Either way, I was more than off the hook. I even got a message from Kelham congratulating me for a good job and offering me further 'opportunities'… if I wanted them. I declined, but it was one hell of a confidence boost to be 'in-demand'.

I arrived up in the wards close to Chora's Den and took the back alley towards the C-Sec Academy—

"Maggie…?" The voice was tentative and quivering. A familiar, taloned hand clasped my shoulder.

I saw red. Turning with a spin, I grabbed Sid's neck and kicked his legs out from under him. He yelped as he went down, his hips and spurs crashing painfully against the cold tile floor. An angry, venomous fire burst from my heart to encase my arms as I glared into the face of the man that had robbed me of everything I'd ever valued. "You must have a fucking death wish!"

"I'm sorry!" He cried, tears pooling against the plates around his eyes. "Spirits, Maggie, I'm so sorry!"

I growled through my teeth and tightened my grip on his throat. The monster in me smirked with satisfaction as the pig squealed and choked under my hand. My fingers burned. His neck blistered.

"It's Garrus!" he wheezed, clawing at my arm desperately. "He's not dead. He's here on the Citadel! I saw you walking by… I had to tell you. Even if you kill me… I had to try…"

Shepard's words rang through my memory, as infuriating now as they were then… But it gave me the strength to shove the bastard away from me without breaking him.

For a moment, Sid lay on the floor, coughing and choking as he tried to get his breath back. "He really is here…" he croaked. "I even sent him a message! Told him you didn't have anything to do with the sell-out. I know he's crazy about you. You could go with him. He loves you, I swear it."

"I saw him already."

Sid looked up at me in shock, his eyes painfully hopeful. "You did…?" He dared to clamber to his feet, his hand still clasping his wounded neck, his posture grovelling.

"You know…I actually thought we were friends."

That hurt him. I saw my words hit like a slap to the face. It was satisfying to watch him squirm like the worm he was.

"I've lived on Omega for years, but I let my guard down for five minutes, and I trusted you. Of all the scum of the earth… I trusted _you_. Amateur fucking mistake, and it's cost me everything I believed it would."

"I'm sorry." He hung his head. He slumped like a man defeated. As always, a pathetic excuse for a turian. "There's nothing I can say… I'm sorry. They threatened me. They were going to kill me."

I moved again, pushing him up against the wall and pinning him with arm against his burned throat. "Don't _lie_ to me!" I hissed through my teeth to his wide-eyed shock. "Don't lie to yourself. You don't deserve the comfort! You asked me about selling info to mercs. You talked about how you'd sell for a ticket home. You _looked_ for the opportunity!"

"No! I… Oh, Spirits!"

"I _know_ why you did it, Sid." I glared at him, the fire of my gaze burning, torturing until he broke down. I saw the story he told himself shatter. I saw the truth hit him like a ton weight. And then his head flopped down against my arm as a miserable wail escape him.

"Kill me… please, Maggie. I deserve it."

"No… You don't." I released him and let him crumple like a dead weight to the floor. He looked up at me, confusion and the first little sprig of real hope. "You're not worth the bullet in my gun, or the effort of drawing my blade. You don't deserve the touch of my fire or the clenching of my fists. You sure as hell don't deserve the mercy death would bring you." I stepped back from him, and he wailed again. "You're going to live, Lantar. You're going to live, and you're going to pay. They are going to haunt you every single day of your life. Every credit you ever spend will have their blood on it." I turned away from the pathetic blubbering creature. "Welcome to hell."

* * *

 **AN: I've only got one chapter left! (Not quite finished but well on the way.) A HUGE thanks to everyone who's been leaving reviews and feedback, it's been monumentally helpful (and flattering!) You're awesome! :D**


	28. Chapter 27

**TWENTY- SEVEN**

"Decontamination procedures complete." The AI had a startlingly sensual voice. "Welcome aboard, Miss Kryik." The doors slid open, allowing me onto the ship.

"Just 'Maggie' is fine… 'Ms' if your programming insists."

"Logged."

I had to squint my eyes to get used to the lights again. More damn fluorescents. Maybe I should have invested in some dark glasses. It smelled weird too. Not like any ship I'd ever been on. It was clean, but not in a clinical way. The faint aroma of tea, coffee and the fabric freshener of laundered uniforms tickled the air.

"Ms Maggie. Welcome." Shepard stepped down from her podium to offer me her hand. I stared at it for a moment, then, sucking up my pride, I accepted the offered shake.

The commander opened her mouth as though to start rambling off her welcome speech. I stopped her in her tracks with a very simple demand. "Where's Garrus?"

If Shepard minded my manners, she didn't let it show. Her oncoming lecture was dropped. With a jerk of her head, she gestured for me to walk with her to the elevator. "Crew Deck, Edi," she instructed as we stepped inside. The doors slid shut, and the lift began it's slow crawl down. "I'm surprised you showed up."

I looked up at her, half-startled for a moment. People really did have a shitty opinion of me. I turned back to the doors, jaw clenched as a flash of anger got the better of me. Fine. I was a bitch… but I didn't think I was _that_ bad… was I? "Garrus is worth sobering up for."

I caught her eyes stealing a measuring glance at me. "Coming from someone like you, that's high praise."

"'Someone like me?'" I threw her a glower. "You don't know shit about me, Shepard, so don't pretend you 'understand'."

"Actually, the Illusive Man was able to dig up some very interesting files on you, _Eve._ " She looked to me properly, her hands still folded behind her back, perfectly relaxed even as I saw red. "I'm curious. Do you know anything about something called 'Subject Zero'?"

"The hell…?"

She gave an irritatingly knowing smile as the elevator crawled to an even slower stop. "Apparently, you were cloned from genetic material gathered from that project. Your 'Father Daniels' promised an army of biotic super soldiers. Obviously, that wasn't ever his true intention…"

"You can't seriously be trying to justify Cerberus to me on _that_ bullshit argument."

The doors to the lift opened. Shepard shook her head as she led the way out. "I'll never justify anything Cerberus does. I just wanted to forewarn you." She showed me the way around into the mess hall. "Subject Zero lives in the Normandy's lower cargo hold." She paused and turned to face me properly. "She's about as unstable as you are… and she's not too thrilled with you existing."

"Great…" I narrowed my eyes irritably, not really surprised by anything she was telling me. I knew I was a clone of sorts. I knew they must have harvested my genetics from someone powerful. That Shepard collected freaks like me on the recommendations of Cerberus… well, I guess I'd half expected something like this to turn up. "So, Mummy hates me too? I think I'll get over it. Hell, she can take a fucking number."

Shepard actually snorted her amusement. "Oh, she's gonna love that nickname. You ever think about calling her that you give me a heads up so I can reinforce my ship or drop you both planetside, okay?" She shook her head and gestured down the hall to a set of doors on the far end. "Garrus has secluded himself inside the Main Battery since the incident with Sidonis. If you could persuade him to come out for longer than meals and toilet breaks, I'd be grateful." She cast a glance down the hall then turned away. "It's not the same without him on my six…"

I watched as she headed back around towards the elevator, and even as she paused, glancing towards the life support doors for a moment before shaking her head and continuing on her way.

I shrugged my bag further onto my back and began the long walk to the main battery. "There'd better not be anything wrong with the fucking life support… Would just be my fucking luck."

The metal door in front of me was shut and locked with a red panel. "Hey…!" I knocked with furious insistence. "Garrus? You know if you don't open up, I'm just gonna find an air vent to crawl through, right?"

"For health and safety reasons, I would advise against using the air vents," Edi chimed in, her holographic head appearing on a nearby panel. "However, there is a suitable maintenance shaft two metres to you left, Ms Maggie."

"Y'see! Even the AI is against you. You have no chance now. Better hurry up before she cut's off your oxygen or something."

The panel on the door turned green a split second before it opened. Garrus stood in front of me, gazing down with equal annoyance and surprise.

"What, Shepard didn't tell you I was coming?"

His brow plates furrowed… but after a moment of hesitation, he stepped aside and let me slide in.

I glanced around his small workspace; just a console and a workbench. This was depressing even by Omega standards, only cleaner. "Wow. This is quite the downsize…" I cast him a suspicious, searching glance. "You sure you're okay with it?"

"If helping Shepard take out the Collectors means a couple of months in an uncomfortable bed, then yes, I'd say that's a fair trade." He waited for the door to shut, then re-locked it. If it had been anyone else, I might have been unnerved. Hell… maybe I still was. He didn't seem overly happy to see me. For a long moment, he just glared, long arms folded over his bulky chest. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, is this your territory? I can always get Shepard to drop me back on Omega if I'm trespassing." I was _almost_ being sarcastic.

"Don't pick a fight with me, Maggie." He called me out. "Not now."

I pursed my lips for a moment… then let go of my frustration with a huffing sigh. I didn't want to fight with him either, not if it wasn't going to help – and right now, I felt like I was walking on mighty thin ice. One wrong move and maybe I really wouldn't be welcome. The thought terrified me. "Being a bitch is my speciality. Especially in awkward situations where I don't know what to say."

"Then I'll start." He leaned against his console. "I got a message from Sidonis this morning—"

"—No wonder you're in a shitty mood." I jabbed my thumb over my shoulder. "If it makes you feel any better, I ran into him just now and beat some shit out of him."

Garrus blinked a few times, derailed.

"I didn't kill him," I reassured him. "Just gave him something to remember me by."

The turian looked away and shook his head, his mandibles flaring with a tiny smile.

"He told me he'd contacted you to tell you I wasn't in on it. I didn't ask him to do that if that's what you're thinking."

"It's not," Garrus confessed. "I… think I believe him." He turned his steel blues on me. "I think I believe you. You're a lot of things, Maggie – sly and manipulative when you need to be – but I don't think you'd have left Omega just to jerk me around – not if there wasn't something big in it for you... So, I have to ask… Why _did_ you come?" His mandibles drooped into a frown. "If you weren't involved with Sid, why did you conveniently disappear at just the right time. Even you have to admit, it looks bad."

I gave a small nod as guilt squirmed in my gut. "There's the ex-c-sec officer…" With a sigh, I hoisted myself up to sit on a small pile of crates he had stacked in the corner. "I was gone at just the right time because Sid persuaded me to go with him to the Citadel." I frowned, shame jabbing at me and making my face prickle. "I was angry with you for marking me… so I went. But I swear to God, I had no idea where he'd got the credits from."

Garrus looked at the floor, mandibles clamped tight against his face.

"I didn't know anything about it until I got back to Omega." I gestured at him. "Everyone told me you were dead. I went back to the apartment… the bodies and all the blood…" My voice broke with the memory. Mel's face had jumped into my thoughts, followed swiftly by Monty and Gavorn. "I had no reason not to believe them. When I realised what Sid must have done, I went after him."

"Did you…?" Archangel turned and braced his hands against his console, still not looking at me. "Did you sleep with Sidonis?"

I arched a brow in alarm. _That_ was what was bothering him? "Of course not!" I frowned, horrified by the question. "Wait, you think I was two-timing you with _Sid_?"

"I don't know." He heaved a sigh and straightened up. "I thought I did. I thought we were…" He trailed off and shook his head.

"We _were_!" I exclaimed sharply, the words out of my mouth before I could stop them. I was outraged – incensed that he could think that Sid was ever a match for him, that I would lower my standards just to knife him in the back. The image Archangel must have of me started to clear in my head and, God, I hated what I saw! I was sickened by it. Disgusted… and not one bit surprised. Why would he think anything better of me?

Finally, he looked up and took in the horror in my expression. A little grain of hope gave life to his weary complexion.

I felt the crushing weight of the moment and cringed under it. I wasn't good at this. Feelings. People. Relationships. I shied away from all of them because I was afraid. But now I stood to lose something I couldn't live without and the fear of that outweighed anything that was squirming in my stomach. "I pissed off Aria and fucked a pirate so I could get back here and kill Sid because I was so fucking angry with him…" I faltered for half a moment. "And because you're a short fringed, fat-waisted bastard and I'm screwed up crazy about you!"

Garrus straightened up and pushed away from his console.

It was my turn to inspect the tilework. My face burned what I was sure was an amusing shade of scarlet. "You marked me you son-of-a-bitch."

"I did." I could feel him stalking closer, felt his presence invade my space.

I looked up, expecting to find some bad-boy smirk on his mandibles… but that's not what I saw. Instead, it was intensity. The same 'something' I'd desperately clung to but refused to name the last time we'd had sex. He put his hands on my waist, and I flinched. Not because I didn't want him too – not because the warm, solid feel of his fingers wasn't the biggest relief of my short life – but because the touch was like the spark of a live wire on my naked skin… a painful pleasure. He was so close I could smell him. I could feel the chill of his scorched armour.

Garrus leaned forward enough to knock his forehead against mine.

I closed my eyes, sucking in a shuddering breath and squirming. Fear gripped my stomach as everything threatened to spill out. Everything. All the pent-up emotion I'd been keeping locked up since Nihlus died. Every wound. Every rabid insecurity. The overwhelming rush of relief to find Garrus alive. I wanted to tell him, but my voice was incapable of making anything but a choked sob.

He didn't know how to soothe me. I felt him flounder, a hint of his own insecurities leaving him helpless. "Maggie… I don't…"

"I love you." I wiped the tears from my face and spoke with determination through the quiver in my voice. "I didn't tell Nihlus, but I sure as hell won't let you go on a fucking suicide mission without telling you." I found his gaze and pressed my forehead tighter against his. I reached for him, running my fingers over the scorched plating and the bandage on the side of his face. "I love you. Garrus… Archangel. I don't even care what you call yourself anymore. And if you're still crazy enough to want me…"

There was that bad-boy smirk I'd fallen for – the one that made me weak at the knees. "You kidding?" A talon knocked my chin, tilting my head back so he could brush mouth-plates against my lips. "There's always gotta be a kiss with the pink-haired femme fatale, right? Why else would you be on the front cover?"

It took me a damn long minute to catch up with what the hell he was talking about. Then, the memory burst into my mind. The first night I'd made a pass at him when we'd joked about his name sounding comic-book. God, it felt like a lifetime ago! I threw a playful hit against his armoured arm. I squirmed, trying to get out from his grip, but Garrus held me tight. "You're such a dick!"

"I'm crazy about you too," he interrupted. "Truth be told, I'm probably about as bad at this 'relationship' thing as you are. But… I want to try it with you… put the past in the past and just start over."

I stilled, looking up at him with some disbelief. I half expected him to tell me he was kidding… But that wasn't his style. As always, nothing but honesty blazed from those steel blues.

Slowly, I nodded. Acceptance finally dawned on me. The reality – that maybe Archangel really did love me as I loved him – settled as truth. "Alright…" I leaned into his offered embrace and reached up to run my hand over his face. "Then… I'm all yours. No more running. No denying. No arguments."

Garrus gave a small scoff and knocked his forehead against mine, his eyes full of overwhelming emotion. "Bullshit."

* * *

 **AN: So that's it… I've run out of material in my vault to dust off! I do plan on doing an 'epilogue' chapter or something 'cause this still feels a little on the unfinished side, but it might take a bit longer because everything I write now will be from scratch rather than a re-work. After that, I might run off to a different fandom for a little while… maybe Dragon Age? I think I have an unfinished Dorian fic over there that had some promise… But who knows, maybe I'll come and do a Maggie part 3 someday… maybe a 'meet the parents' scenario where she goes with Garrus during the 6 months Shepard is locked up? That could be fun… :D**


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